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How might we increase the availability of affordable learning tools & services for students in the developing world? Read the challenge brief

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Adopt a school

Inspired from the idea of "adopting" a child in another country (by paying for its education) why don't we allow people or organisations to adopt a whole school by paying for the running costs?
A online service that allows companies, organisations or wealthy individuals to adopt a school by sponsoring it.


This could be appealing to any organisation that wants to make a tangible and specific impact on global education and be able to tell a story about it:


- how many students they helped graduate
- how exactly they helped the specific school to improve
- which students excelled
- how they influenced the curriculum or how they helped students to develop professionally
- photos, testimonials from real teachers and students about their experiences


This kind of sponsoring is very direct and it builds a relation & engagement between the sponsor and the school. Rather than giving funds to a humanitarian organisation that acts as an agent and then decides where to distribute them, a sponsor would be more willing to give funds directly to schools and relate to the impact that this makes.


Who would implement this?

  1. A big company
  2. A local entrepreneur or small organization
  3. A globally-based social entrepreneur
  4. NGOs and Foundations

Cost

All running costs of a school are covered by the sponsor.

Distribution & Delivery

The sponsors can freely choose to engage with a specific school that is available on the platform, according to their preferences and available funds (small or big school, country, region etc)

Then, the school's directors and teachers are responsible for informing the sponsor on how the funds are spent and how they help the local students to develop. What is important for the sponsor is to see that their funds are creating value, and this kind of direct communication is the best way.

Adoption

Companies, organisations and wealthy individuals should be contacted and be informed about this kind of direct charity that is available online on a platform for a minimum cost (similar to kiva.org). Sponsors could choose to show publicly who they are and which schools they have adopted.

Comments

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Johan Löfström

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September 20, 2010, 01:17PM
Great! But I would be very careful on which big companies sponsors schools, and make sure that they do not get any influence or visibility within the school buildings or books.
If it was completely anonymously, sure!
But i guess that large companies would require at least some form of evidence, recognition for their contributions.

If perhaps the money went through a web forum like Kiva, they could of course advertise there. (I am just very concerned that the different adopted schools would not be required to advertise fast-food, soda-drinks or cigarettes.)
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School-to-School Foster Program School-to-School Foster Program's thumbnail A school of the devoped world may sponsor a school of the developing world A school of the devoped world may sponsor a school of the developing world's thumbnail
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