"This Christian school has changed our lives!"

Each year over 100 million school-age children are unable to attend school. This is true for a variety of reasons. Sometimes the work of children, even as young as age 7, is needed for the survival of the family. These children can bring home a small amount of money and every little bit is needed for food. Other children live in regions that are so isolated or impoverished that there is no school available for them.

Of the 100 million children who can’t attend school, 61% are girls. It is thought in some regions of the world that educating a girl is like “watering my neighbor’s garden.” By that they mean that boys will grow up and marry and after that the young couple will look after the parents. Girls, on the other hand, will grow up to take care of their husband’s family.

Think about the following statistics:
• An estimated 875 million adults are illiterate worldwide and nearly two-thirds of them are women.
• Each year over 100 million primary-age children are not able to attend school.
• South Asia is home to one-fifth of the world's population and 40% of the world's absolute poor.
• In India, one-third of all children aged 6 to 14 do not attend school. This is equal to 23 million boys and 36 million girls -- double the entire population of Canada.
• Africa as a continent has a literacy rate of less than 60 percent. In Sub-Saharan Africa since 1980, primary school enrollment has declined, going from 58 percent to 50 percent.

When Christians in these regions tell Worldwide Christian Schools that they have a Christian school that meets under a tree or in a building without a roof, WCS finds ways to provide for their needs. Small wonder, then, that the people in those regions tell us, “This Christian school has changed our lives.”