In pictures: Global Youth Ambassadors in Africa rise #UpForSchool
Up for School or #upforschool campaign
The #UpForSchool Petition has been signed by more than five million people who care about getting an education for all children around the world.
More than 120,000 of those names have been gathered by A World at School’s amazing network of Global Youth Ambassadors – 500 passionate youth leaders in 85 countries.
Our GYAs in Africa have been working hard in the past few weeks to spread the #UpForSchool Petition – which demands that world leaders keep their promise to get every child into school. Here’s a roundup of some of their activities.
LIBERIA
More than 1000 students from 10 high schools in Monrovia were at the #UpForSchool Petition launch.
It was attended by national stakeholders and government officials and four Liberian GYAs – Beyan Flomo Pewee, Moses Browne, Trokon Bosco Wlehyoue and Emma Metieh Glasco.
The objective is to collect more than one million signatures from students, teachers, business people, faith-based organisations and ordinary Liberians.
Julia Duncan-Cassell, Minister of Gender, Child Protection and Social Development, told the event: “We are excited to launch such a great petition from the young people of Liberia advocating for education for all. We are in full support of this and will encourage every Liberian to sign.”
Liberia’s Early Childhood Education and Development Minister Felicia Doe Sumah said: “This is a worthwhile initiative from the youth and students of Liberia, especially the commitment from the GYAs. We will use all of our existing local education structures to ensure that every student signs the petition.”
CAMEROON
Kenfack Foleng Alex and Trinity Foundation held an event with the Sunday School children of Light World Mission Church.
He said: “I am standing up as an A World at School Global Youth Ambassador to bring an end to the barriers preventing girls and boys from going to school, including forced work and early marriage, conflict and attacks on schools, exploitation and discrimination. All children deserve the opportunity to learn and achieve their potential.”
NIGERIA
The Youth Power Initiative founded by Global Youth Ambassador Joy Tiku Enighe – in partnership with the Edmond Tiku Foundation – is standing #UpForSchool.
Joy said: “Turan District is in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State. Poor people here earn less than a dollar per day.
“The 78% illiteracy rate is partly because of a shortage of education facilities, with 69% having their classes under trees. Girls drop out of school, especially when they reach puberty age due to lack of sanitary facilities.
“Children who manage to learn in these conditions do not even have writing materials or basic textbooks to read. This motivated me to take up this project of providing writing materials and textbooks for the children.”
DRC
Global Youth Ambassadors in the Democratic Republic of Congo were invited to attend the Countdown to Peace Day Forum organised by the international organisation Peace One Day in Kinshasa. It featured several members of the Congolese government, officials from United Nations agencies, religious groups, civil society and artists.
GYA Clareine N’lambi Nzeza said: “We were honoured to have managed to get the signatures of two great personalities – the founder of Peace One Day, Jeremy Gilley, and the famous coach of the Congolese national football team, Florent Ibenge.
“We took advantage of the occasion to talk about the petition to participants, who encouraged us in our struggle for education. At the end of the forum, we collected 186 signatures.”
Clareine wrote a blog for A World at School recently about taking the #UpForSchool Petition to a school in Kinshasa. Read it here.
Read inspiring blogs from our Global Youth Ambassadors.
You also can make your voice heard by signing the #UpForSchool Petition.