Uniting to Change the World: Education Partnership of Children of Conflict

"He who opens a school door, closes a prison". - Victor Hugo School doors all over the world are being closed for tens of millions of children every day because of violence, oppression and poverty.  Education is a fundamental part of the personal development in children, and its impact on the direction and decisions children make as they become adults is enormous. In 2006 Good Will Ambassador of the UNHCR and actress Angelina Jolie and Director of The Center for Universal Education at the  Council of Foreign Relation Gene Sperling founded The Education Partnership for Children of Conflict (EPCC).  Its purpose is to help children in conflict areas, war zones, refugees, and victims of natural disasters access education.  In 2007 The EPCC joined forces with The Clinton Global Initiative, founded by former United States president Bill Clinton and today combines over 40 organizations working together to achieve this goal. This organization has and can make incredible strides in improving education worldwide and improving the forgotten zones of the world, the places that fall through the cracks of society.  Many of the people suffering live in fear on a constant basis and are marginalized populations whose quality of life are being robbed by groups of individuals who lack moral standards and commit crimes of incredible atrocities. The strength of the EPCC comes from a network or organizations and information exchange combining together toward a common goal.  Through multiple partnerships the EPCC can approach the problem from multiple fronts and have incredible influence. Yet, limitations still exist and far too many children still fall victim to oppression and are unable to get the help they need.  The EPCC recognizes the limited effect “throwing money at the problem” will have long term, and they seek to create a growing multi-organizational think tank to target specific areas and create a cumulative effect that will empower education and cut the legs out from under oppression. What impact will this partnership have long-term?  It is going to depend on a lot of factors, but most of all the intellectual background behind each partnership’s strategy, the interconnected efforts and the charity in which they receive. How can you get involved? The EPCC has created individual registries for each organization which you can browse through.  Here you can read detailed reports of the strategy each organization is taking, and then you get to decide where you want to donate. If you have the means to do so, corporations and non-profits can also become a partner with the EPCC. To learn more contact Evan Ryan at evan@educationpartnership.org In addition as mentioned on a previous blog, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt joined with Asprey to create a luxury brand jewellery collection and will donate all proceeds to the EPCC. Children are our future, and the mind of every child counts toward that future.