EDUCATION

Education empowers people and provides opportunities for social and economic empowerment. The poor—a disproportionate number of them women—those living in remote locations, the marginalized, and the physically disabled often lack access to basic education. Improving their access is critical if we are to break the cycle of poverty around the world.

Educators are teaming with engineers, designers, and social entrepreneurs to find ways to bring educational resources to remote areas via innovative educational tools. Unconstrained by previous notions of how to spread knowledge, one team looks to create a computer revolution for children in the developing world; while a portable microfilm library helps solve the problem of transporting and maintaining large numbers of books.

New technologies allow the means for mesh networks, whereby children communicate through a wireless network, or gain access to the Internet via satellite or low-cost broadband to explore the world. One team’s goal is to connect half the world’s population to the Internet within the next ten years. Another is designing a moderately priced computer to teach the basic computing skills required for the global economy. Combing the efficiency of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with the durability of microfilm, community classes in agriculture, health, and literacy can be conducted in the evening for adults, increasing an educator’s capacity with a simple projector.

Each project looks to provide opportunities for learning, expanding skills that will help close the education, literacy, and gender divide. These bold initiatives envision a world where people can reach their full potential and have the chance to prosper.