The Family’s Role in Education: A Parents’ Day Perspective on Supporting Success
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. And in this regard, the influence of a nurturing family is indispensable” – Nelson Mandela
It is no surprise that distinguished visionary Nelson Mandela recognized the position of families in education. Education is an undeniably powerful weapon, especially when communities come together to help African youth succeed. But a person can only go so far without a line of advocates standing by them and their ambitions. When young adults have a support system as they pursue their education, the journey becomes more digestible as they are not enduring the brunt of inevitable hardships.
In low-income communities in Sub-Saharan Africa, parents often need children to work to support the household and expect children to work after finishing secondary school or even earlier to provide financial assistance instead of seeking higher education. Other barriers such as perceived irrelevance attached to higher education and general lack of information about the numerous advantages have shaped the perspective of education in these resource-limited communities, making it crucial to help African youth realize the importance of education.
On parents day and everyday, we make it our mission to ensure that our youth and their families recognize the value education holds for a brighter future while also administering financial support and personal development through our Wezesha Vijana, Youth Livelihood, and Accelerated Learning programs. These programs have additional impact due to continuous parental involvement in and outside of the classroom. Our parents are some of the most determined individuals, and their efforts greatly help African youth foster self-sufficiency as they embark on their life journey. We understand that what leads to success is not merely the passion one has to do great things but those in their lives who are constantly seeking to help their sons, daughters, nephews, and nieces to their fullest potential. It is why parental involvement is heavily integrated in our programs as we know the impact parents have cannot be replaced and should never be ignored.
Because we know the influence of a nurturing family is indispensable, we want to take this day, June 1st, Global Day of Parents, to sincerely thank our incredible parents, nurturers, and mentors who have been indispensable in furthering our work with their encouragement, persistence, and unwavering support in helping East African youth obtain a brighter future.
WRITTEN BY: Chioma Okoro