Education Program

After-school academic support serving 80 participants ages 4-19, operating 2 days per week for 1 hour per day. Led by Education Coordinator Damaris Balan and education staff Adi, the program provides literacy and numeracy reinforcement, homework assistance, study skills development, and for older youth (16-19), career orientation and transition support.

Youth face accumulated academic deficits from under-resourced schools with limited materials and large class sizes. Parents often have low education levels and cannot help with homework, while family stress and parental migration for work create unstable home learning environments. Students lack quiet study spaces, books, computers, and internet access. Many youth experience discrimination and low expectations from teachers, leading to poor aspirations and peer pressure against academic achievement. Critical transition points at ages 11-14 and 14-15 create major dropout risk as academic demands increase.

The program provides individualized learning plans that address specific academic gaps while building on each youth's strengths. Small group instruction (maximum 6:1 ratio) allows attention impossible in overcrowded classrooms. Regular school coordination ensures alignment with curriculum and targeted support for struggling students. Creative expression and project-based learning make academics engaging and relevant. For older youth, career orientation connects education to future possibilities, creating concrete motivation to stay in school. Family engagement helps parents understand and support their children's learning despite their own educational limitations.