PROBLEM
UNICEF identified 78% of Burundian children living in poverty (monetary, and/or non-monetary poverty) and 39% of children aged 0-17 in Rwanda were defined as multidimensionally poor, that is, deprived in at least three dimensions. Without the basic necessities of life nor any sort of programmatic intervention or support network, these young boys and girls have no chance of positively participating in their communities; instead, they resort to begging and stealing on the streets to survive day by day.
Street children do not simply need food and shelter handed to them. They need a comprehensive program that can reform their behavior from street life and equip them with skills that are in demand in their country’s labor force – thereby opening the way to employment and self-sufficiency.
SOLUTION
For our first project, we are partnering with Umuryango Network, a christian nonprofit organization built on the core values of accountability, service and Christian love that attacks systemic poverty by placing homeless street children in a nurturing Christian entourage that equips them to become fully integrated productive members of the society. We are implementing a project-based learning education program for students of the Umuryango Network to equip them academically, personally and professionally with the tools to have a lasting, high-level and positive impact in their communities.
Our Project-Based Learning (PBL) Program
Our educational program entails a 3-tiered approach encompassing the following areas of development:
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Academic Development
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Personal Development
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Professional Development
Project-Based Learning (PBL) is a progressive learning pedagogy (method and practice of teaching) in which the curriculum focuses on student learning through investigating, researching and solving real world problems to build high-level skills and solutions to be successful in the 21st century.
The Buck Institute for Education, a California-based industry leader in providing professional development and support services related to PBL, created a comprehensive, research-based High Quality PBL (HQPBL) model with the following six criteria that A Pledge of Love will implement:
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Our Strategic Approach - High Quality Project Based Learning (HQPBL) Model
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Intellectual Challenge and Accomplishment - Students learn deeply, think critically, and strive for excellence.
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Authenticity - Students work on projects that are meaningful and relevant to their culture, their lives, and their future.
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Collaboration - Students collaborate with other students and receive guidance from adult mentors and experts.
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Project Management - POL uses a project management mechanism that enables them to proceed effectively and access impact from project initiation to completion.
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Reflection - Students reflect on their work and their learning throughout the project.
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Public Product - Students’ work is publicly displayed, discussed, and critiqued.