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2023/12/12 19:25

■Project Details

Introduction

Do you recall when you (or your child) were studying for college entrance exams? When and what subjects did you study?

Let us shed light on the reality faced by the Bangladeshi students we are supporting.

To begin, Bangladesh experienced a school closure lasting over a year during the COVID-19 pandemic—the lengthiest complete shutdown globally. Despite students advancing to the next grade, a significant learning gap emerged between urban and rural areas.

While online classes continued in urban regions, enabling students to learn from home using computers and smartphones, those in rural areas faced challenges attending school, meeting teachers, and affording internet access for online studies, leading to a pronounced learning disparity.

The disparity in learning environments between rural and urban areas is evident in the following comments from children in rural villages:

"The COVID-19 had a detrimental impact on education."

"I regret being born in a rural village."

While everyday life in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, has returned to normal, children in rural areas, unable to learn for over a year due to COVID-19, despair over the educational gap with urban areas. They resent the virus and feel cursed by their own lives.

"The world failed me (I was abandoned by the world)."

Who in the world would abandon children born in rural Bangladesh? Should they have to give up on their college education?

At e-Education, we are dedicated to leaving no one behind. We will persist in supporting children still grappling with the aftermath of COVID-19, as we have for the past 13 years in advancing education in developing countries.

For this purpose, we would greatly appreciate your assistance.

What we can do 

Hello again. I am Kaito Miwa, the CEO of e-Education, a certified Japanese NPO.

For the past 13 years, we have been championing education in developing countries utilizing video technology, guided by our mission to "provide the best education to every corner of the world."

Our journey commenced when we encountered a high school student in a rural village in Bangladesh. Despite the late hour, I encountered a determined young man studying diligently under a streetlight with a worn-out textbook.

Why is he studying outside?

*A student reading a textbook aloud under the streetlight

The answer is not just because there is no electricity in the house, but it goes beyond that.

During the day, when they have to contribute to their family\'s support (or engage in household chores, especially for girls), attending school becomes impractical. At night, focusing on studies is hindered by the cries of a baby.

When asked why they persist in studying despite these hardships, these young individuals respond, "To bring happiness to my family. I aspire to secure a good job, and for that, attending a reputable university is crucial... but I fear my dream may not come true."

They shared the harsh reality of Bangladesh, an unimaginable scenario for us in Japan. Insufficient schools exist in their village, while the capital city, Dhaka, boasts over 100 prep schools.

Moreover, he revealed that the monthly tuition for a prep school in urban areas equals a year\'s income in rural regions. Initially skeptical, I couldn\'t deny the truth in his words.

*Dhaka\'s densely populated prep school district, known as the Farm Gate

In Bangladesh, attending a prestigious university is directly correlated with securing a favorable job placement.

While children in urban areas can afford to invest in college preparation, those in rural areas face challenges attending cram schools or receiving adequate education in schools.

A stark divide between urban and rural areas is evident, contributing to the "reproduction of poverty," particularly evident in university entrance exams.

In response, we embarked on a quest to provide "top-notch education" in rural areas without relying on traditional teacher-based methods. This led to the conception of "video lessons."

Believing that delivering DVDs featuring lessons from renowned urban prep school instructors to rural children could provide them with the best education, even in the absence of local teachers.

*We have launched the first-ever DVD learning center in Bangladesh

The university entrance examination took place six months later.

A student from a small village, previously deemed impossible to enter a prestigious national university, successfully passed the entrance exam for Dhaka University—the highest university in Bangladesh.

Since the "miraculous success" achieved in 2010, students have been annually admitted to Dhaka University, accumulating a total of 641 students entering the most esteemed universities.

Now, in addition to providing video lessons, we have initiated various initiatives to support village students at no cost. This includes launching an "online tutoring" service that assists students in creating study plans and a "correction service" that reviews written answers provided by students.

Allow me to share an episode involving one of our students, Nazim, who passionately conveyed, "e-Education has changed my life.”

Nazim studied for his family “in place of his father who went abroad to work”

Nazim is one of the students who received educational support from e-Education in 2020.

He resides in a small farming village called Hamcha, about a 6-hour drive and boat ride from the capital city, Dhaka, Bangladesh, along with his mother, younger sister, and brother.

His father had been working abroad to support the family since Nazim was three years old, so neither Nazim nor his siblings have ever seen their father.

Their small home, where the four of them live, is so tiny that it\'s challenging to find a space for Nazim to study.

Upon returning from school, in place of his father who went abroad for work, Nazim, as the eldest son, took on household chores and cared for his younger sister and brother. This left him with insufficient time to dedicate to his studies.

*The situation at Nazim\'s home

Nazim says the following:

"My father has been working overseas since I was three years old. He tirelessly worked and earned money with the hope that our family could lead a better life. He entrusted the money to my uncle, thinking that an educated person could manage it well. However, in reality, it was used for my uncle\'s entertainment and his family\'s needs. Our family\'s living conditions remained unchanged.

My father did not receive adequate education and was ignorant of the law. So, we had no choice but to endure this injustice. Even now, for the sake of our family, he works more than 20 hours every day. Since then, I haven\'t seen my father smile.

We can\'t change the past, but we can change the future. I want people who work hard and are honest, like my father, to be rewarded. I want to ensure that being poor does not mean being denied justice and rights. That\'s why I am determined to pursue the law faculty at Dhaka University, considered the top in the country."

Even in such adversity, Nazim found time to study, yearning to attend college. Despite electricity in his home cutting out three times an hour, he dedicated himself to studying in the darkness at night.

In the midst of this, with the strong desire for proper education, Nazim encountered e-Education\'s video lessons. 

Members of e-Education came to his village, informing him of the opportunity to receive free classes from renowned instructors.

Nazim received a tablet containing 2,000 video lessons free of charge, and with strong determination, he diligently attended the video lessons.

During challenging moments, he was supported by online tutors who were university students.

Finally, the day of the university admission announcement arrived.

Nazim successfully passed and secured a place at the Faculty of Law at Dhaka University!

*Mr. Miwa from e-Education and Nazim

This was the year 2021.

When asked about his future life, Nazim responded with the following:

"I don\'t need big cars or houses to live. I believe that as long as I have three meals a day, a place to live, clothing, and a beautiful heart, that\'s enough.

A kind and compassionate heart.

Through helping and supporting others, the heart becomes happy.

I think \'happiness\' is not achieved through entertainment or extravagance but by feeling happiness in one\'s own heart through helping others.

Such a heart is necessary, and I want to live a life like that."

e-Education started in 2010 and has provided educational support to over 30,000 children worldwide, including those like Nazim.

In rural Nepal, 70% of middle school students are unable to graduate due to failing graduation exams, and in the Philippines, 20% of children attend school while working, hindering their ability to attend school satisfactorily.

In the future, e-Education aims to deliver the "best education" to children in rural areas who, despite facing economic challenges, aspire to study with dreams.

However, e-Education is currently facing an urgent situation.

The crisis of diminishing support activities due to COVID-19.

The expansion of COVID-19 and significant environmental changes, such as the recent substantial depreciation of the yen, have had a significant impact on our activities.

Since the onset of COVID-19, the number of children in need of our support has increased by approximately five times.

However, due to the recent depreciation of the yen, the necessary funding per person has increased by approximately 2 times.

Since COVID-19, the university entrance exam schedule has been postponed, resulting in an extension of the support period to 7 months. This has further increased the contributions.

The number of children in need of support is increasing, and due to factors such as the depreciation of the yen, it is challenging to deliver assistance to these children without your support.

For high school students in particularly impoverished rural areas of Bangladesh, the university entrance exam represents not only the chance to change their own lives but also the lives of their families. It is a pivotal opportunity and a source of hope.

The next university entrance exams are scheduled to take place between March and April next year.

Right now, whether high school students in rural Bangladesh can receive e-Education\'s support for university entrance exams will significantly impact their future lives.

Please lend your support for the future of these high school students who are awaiting assistance.

■The use of financial aid

What we want to achieve through your donations

This year, Bangladeshi high school seniors will take university entrance examinations in March and April.

Your donation will be used to support the university entrance examinations to be held next year, as well as to support children in the Philippines and Nepal who are also studying hard despite the difficulties they face due to economic disparity.

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*Nazim (center) pictured with e-Education staff and local partners

The words of encouragement from all of you not only serve as great support for us at e-Education but also become a significant source of encouragement for students who refuse to give up on their exam studies. Together, with everyone\'s collective strength, we can seize significant opportunities.

Even in moments that might seem pessimistic alone, they can be overcome when facing them together with everyone. There is the belief that we can "turn adversity into opportunity."

Looking at our graduates so far, we hold on to this belief.

If you share the belief in the power of education, support for young people, and shaping the future, could you please join us in delivering the chance to take the university entrance exams to these students? We kindly ask for your support before the end of this year.

■Finally

Nazim’s life afterwards

Thank you very much for reading this far.

There is a continuation to Nazim\'s success story that I introduced earlier.

After successfully entering Dhaka University, Nazim expressed the following:

"Now, I want to support the dreams of high school students."

Currently, while attending university, he teaches high school students, shares his own experiences with those who may be struggling, and supports them along their journey.

"A Life with Dignity, A Society with Compassion"

This is the vision that e-Education aims for.

Nazim, who encountered e-Education in challenging circumstances, fulfilled his dream and gained "dignity." However, the compassion he now possesses for the next generation is what we, e-Education, want to continue fostering through educational support—nurturing not only their "dignity" but also their "compassion" towards others.

"Dignity" and "Compassion" resonate worldwide

We started our activities in Bangladesh and have since expanded our operations to the Philippines, Nepal, and Myanmar.

Let us introduce activities that spread "dignity" and "compassion" around the world.

＜Philippines: High School Entrance Exam Support＞

In the Philippines, where there are greater challenges for high school entrance exams than for university, we provide support for economically disadvantaged children.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, children faced restrictions on going outside, and junior high and high schools were completely closed for about two years. Some students graduated high school without ever attending, given the limited two-year high school period.

Additionally, the pandemic led to challenges such as the inability to work part-time, economic constraints preventing university enrollment, and university students facing the risk of dropping out due to reduced family income.

We initiated online tutoring connecting university students with junior high school students during the pandemic. In 2022, we delivered a total of 239 online tutoring sessions to 30 junior high school students. Some of the students took the challenge of applying to the most difficult national high schools, and five students were accepted by their first choice schools.

By connecting university students who couldn\'t work part-time due to the pandemic with students eager to learn remotely, we not only created educational opportunities locally but also generated employment opportunities.

*Online high school entrance exam support

<Nepal: Support for Completion of Junior High School Graduation>

In Nepal, which is said to be "the most difficult country to develop" due to geographical factors, there is a hurdle in the junior high school graduation examination, and we are providing video lessons to rural schools to help students prepare for graduation.

In urban areas, the pass rate for the junior high school graduation exam is approximately 90%, while in rural areas, the pass rate is approximately 30%, meaning that most students are unable to graduate from junior high school and are forced to stay in school multiple times, creating a huge educational gap.

In 2022, schools that had been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic reopened, and in preparation for the full-scale introduction of video classes to the schools on the mountain regions, we held several workshops for teachers to improve their teaching skills, teaching them about situations in which video classes are used and how to use the equipment, with 68 teachers participating, leading to their effective use in model schools.

*Teacher using video materials in middle school

Finally

Faced with a very difficult situation, all of us at e-Education have thought about what e-Education should be, what we really want to protect, and the future we aim to realize.

Our mission is to continue to deliver "the best education" to as many children as possible who, like Nazim, are born to face difficult circumstances but still want to pursue their dreams.

There are many children in the world who are not even allowed to challenge their own dreams due to their place of birth or environment.

For the sake of these children, we cannot afford to scale down and abandon them.

To all those who have supported e-Education thus far, we extend our heartfelt gratitude.

We earnestly request once again your support. For those who are considering supporting e-Education going forward, we invite you to become companions in our mission to deliver the "best education" to the farthest corners of the world.

We strive to ensure that no child is compelled to give up on their future based on their place of birth or environment.

For this purpose, we implore you to lend your support before the end of this year.

You can offer support here.

https://eedu.my.salesforce-sites.com/en?dt=1&f=1&cid=701F90000013PEj