Education is life

One million children left without education

The right to education is something that should be available to every child. Education is an unachievable dream for more than one million children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a country that has been affected by many armed conflicts for many years. One person who is trying to change this is MA Human Rights, Social Justice and Culture student, Rachel. Working with her non-profit organisation, Pamoja na Watoto Foundation (Swahili for Together with Children), she is changing the lives of children and families in rural areas.

“Growing up in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, I had a very supportive family, but I know that a lot of people don’t have the same upbringing. I founded Pamoja na Watoto to bring change in our communities and alleviate poverty by ensuring that every child, no matter their background, has access to quality education. It’s our right to have education, no matter what your circumstance.”

Through four pillars of education, health, environment and psychosocial therapy, Rachel and her team work to change and develop rural communities with innovative education, partnering with children to alleviate illiteracy, poverty, and injustices. They provide support, funding and supplies to give every child their chance to learn and thrive.

The gift of education

Rachel is passionate about giving the youth of her home country a chance to have a brighter future. The lack of access to education can alienate people further from society – restricting their options for the future. As she explains:

“Education is life. When you don’t have an education, you are removed from the world and its opportunities. If you can’t read, write, or use technology, there’s less that you’ll be able to achieve. The gift of education opens doors and opportunities. It’s a gateway to the future. If we give someone the gift of education, they can take that forward and share it with their communities.”

The next level

Rachel has already supported dozens of children with access to education through her organisation, but she wants to do more. To help her reach her goals and create substantive systemic change to the education system in the DRC, she decided to undertake the MA in Human Rights, Social Justice and Culture at Goldsmiths.

“The lecturers in the Department of Sociology have so much experience. A lot of them have real-world knowledge of working in NGOs such as the UN, which they share with us throughout our course. This gives me a solid foundation to take my grassroots organisation to the next level and will help us increase our impact in the future.”

The Department of Sociology at Goldsmiths is shaped around teaching theory that is based on real-world social issues. The multi-cultural nature of the Department has made Rachel settle into life in the UK and get the most out of her studies.

“I love my department! It’s welcoming and diverse. The fact that the staff have worked with people from so many different backgrounds and cultures helps. They try to adapt and accommodate everyone.”

Take a look at the Department of Sociology’s website to find out more about their approach.

You can find out more about the Pamoja na Watoto Foundation via their website.