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Updates
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18 MAR 2012
Featured Partner: Dave Welch of the D.O.V.E. Fund
Determined to bring the greatest impact per dollar to Vietnamese communities, the D.O.V.E. Fund has taken an enlightened philosophy with its allocation of donations: 100% of all donations go directly to the construction of schools, scholarships, medical care and disaster relief. The D.O.V.E Fund's mission is, "To provide humanitarian and development assistance to areas in Vietnam; to provide communication, education and cultural exchanges that reflects the best qualities of both cultures. To create an environment brightened by hope and sustained by peace." For veterans of the Vietnam War who have been scarred by memories for decades, a return to Vietnam can provide the ultimate healing. It is in this environment where many veterans finally put Vietnam in perspective. The generous nature of the Vietnamese people helps many veterans deal with the images of their wartime experience and see a new Vietnam. To help those who were once enemies is a remarkable personal journey... -
07 JAN 2012
Bringing Formal Education to Colombia's Poor: An Interview with the Emmaus Road Foundation
A country stricken by poverty and war, Colombia not only struggles with one of the poorest economies in the world but also a faltering education system. However, Natanael Lizarazo wants to change that. Having started the Emmaus Road Foundation almost 20 years ago, Natanael is the founder and vice president of the board of directors who strives to bring education and leadership to the poorest communities in Colombia. Since Natanael lives in the United States today, the on-going job in the organization is to be an interpreter for the people in Colombia and a fundraising presence for American donors. I was able to chat with Natanael about the Emmaus Road Foundation and their goals as they partner with Givology. What are some of the goals and achievements of your organization? The primary mission is to provide formal education to not only children but also youth and at times adults. We invest in formal education and believe in that. It is a passport to a better and dignified life. It is... -
24 SEP 2011
US Students fall behind: What it says about the impact of a dollar in education
As high school seniors across the United States toil through the college application season, I paused to reflect upon my K-12 education. I attend a decent public high school in the suburbs of Los Angeles—the kids are driven, our parents push for good grades and our teachers expect record-breaking test scores every year. I have taken more standardized tests than I can count—SAT 9, CAT 6, the SAT I exam, SAT subject tests, Advanced Placement exams, International Baccalaureate exams, the high school exit exam and the list goes on. And still, I feel like there are holes in my education. In the Newsweek article “Why Can’t American Students Compete,” the failure of the American education system is explored through deficiencies in mathematics, science and English. In the international exams administered by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OCED), only 32 percent of American students in the class of 2011 were deemed proficient in mathematics, placing the United Stat... -
23 JUN 2011
Lesson 1: Adding
I remember in middle school how I hated learning geometry. The array of degree signs and vocabulary words like hypotenuse seemed unnecessarily complicated. I would ask myself, "When will I ever need to prove these two triangles are similar outside of this class?" Even today, I have yet to use an integral in my daily life with the exception of a weekly calculus exam. But even though I joke of the importance of what I learn in school, I am certainly blessed to have such an understanding of higher math since secondary education seems like a given in the United States. Unfortunately, this state of mind can't be said for my fellow high school students around the world. According to UNICEF's 2011 State of the World's Children Report, millions of adolescents globally have not completed a full course of quality primary education that would prepare them to participate in secondary education. More than 70 million adolescents of lower secondary age are out of school, with...