An international celebration of sport and camaraderie started this week. The World Cup has people of all cultures and ages leaving work early and gathering around TV screens in bars, cafes, living rooms and even foyers of office buildings. The talent is colossal, the competition is fierce and watching the World Cup is the one thing that might keep people inside on a hot and sunny day this summer.

Not only does the 2010 FIFA World Cup support global soccer competition, but it, too, believes education is a right. So, FIFA has partnered with the Campaign for Global Education for its 1GOAL campaign. The purpose of this campaign is to hold world leaders accountable for achieving the UN Millennium Goal, that all children will receive primary education by 2015.

1GOAL is seeking support from those who want to see all children receive the right to an education. Over 9 million people, including these World Cup players,  have already joined.

There are a few ways you can get involved:

1. Learn about 1GOAL

2. Join the movement by signing your name, engaging in social media outlets to show your support, etc.

Yours in youth education,

Sabrina

Before going to India with Free the Children in August 2008 to help build the school in Lai Gow, I didn’t know what I was getting into. Looking back, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Going to India is something I will always recall as vibrant yet a bit indescribable. I hope this story of my journey does it justice.

My most vivid memory of India is the contradictions that exist in the country. A country filled with bright colours yet cluttered with muddy gray roads; incredible economic growth, yet poverty plagues the country and its people. Everything was overwhelming: the people, the landscape and even the buildings.

From Delhi, I travelled to Udaipur, Rajasthan on a bus with other volunteers between the ages of 14 and 24. The long bumpy bus ride reminded us that we were not in Kansas anymore, and that India could benefit greatly from a more developed road system. Upon our arrival, we settled down in an ashram with few amenities and got comfortable with our roommates: fellow volunteers, geckos, moths and even birds.

When we arrived, we were told that we were one of the very first groups to help build a school in Lai Gow. Before arriving at the build-site, we were warned: the people living in the village weren’t comfortable with outsiders yet, so we were advised to be friendly and not pressure them. It took some time before they got used to us, but after getting to know them, it was wonderful to bond with the local engineers working on the school and most of all, the children who would attend it.

These beautiful children now have the chance to grow up, and create a better future for their children, community, country and world. Getting to meet the children who would learn to read and write at the school I helped build was a life-changing and meaningful experience. In addition, Free the Children works to develop the community as a whole, helping with alternative incomes, clean water and women’s rights, so no part of the community is left untouched from Free the Children’s support.

Literally laying the foundation of a school is indescribable. Some people may think it odd that I flew around the world to do manual labour, but this was so much more than that. While my efforts were small, the overall impact of building a school in Lai Gow, is great. I saw, firsthand, the positive growth of a community and the possibilities created for the children of Lai Gow through education. This community will continue to grow because of the dedication of people and organizations that contribute to the development of this impoverished place.

Emily Mason

Emily is 20 years old and was 18 when she built a school in Lai Gow. She is originally from Belleville, Ontario and is currently studying Economics at the University of Western Ontario. She enjoys volleyball, playing piano and travelling.