As the world goes through the COVID-19 pandemic, people’s lives have dramatically changed as a result of the effects of the pandemic. A conspicuous effect of the pandemic has been a sharp change in children’s learning. Mass school closures have been witnessed worldwide, causing many children’s learning experiences to be reshaped by the sudden introduction of remote learning, including – where available – technology and virtual platforms as a substitute for the classroom and schoolyard.
In the midst of this drastic shift to online learning, many children from vulnerable families’ world over are finding it difficult to cope with this change of events. Most of these children come from families that cannot afford basic necessities such of food and shelter, let alone gadgets to aid them learn online. Majority of them too live in areas with poor or no internet connection and at the same time cannot afford cost of internet. Thus, this group of children are drastically left behind as far as learning is concerned and might find it hard to cope with their colleagues when classroom learning resumes.
In response to this, sad state of affairs, Arigatou International – End Child Poverty through a partner in Moldova; Angela Chicu, a member of the Global Network of Religions for Children (GNRC) facilitated the purchase of tablets and internet for anumber of children living in poverty who were not able to participate in the online learning as had been directed by the Ministry of Education in the country; due to lack of internet and internet access gadgets.
Having been trained by our partner on the use of the tablets, the children, like their counterparts in the country and many parts of the world, have been learning online. The children, most of whom are enthusiastic to learn now are assured that they will not be left behind even when normal classroom learning resumes.
This intervention by Arigatou International – End Child Poverty is not only a way of cushioning children from the adverse effects of COVID-19 but also a way to ensure children still get their fundamental right to education uninterrupted. Having received education, children are highly likely to live free from poverty as education opens more possibilities in their lives thus a vehicle to drive them out of poverty This intervention is part of many more programs and initiatives by Arigatou International – End Child Poverty aimed at ending child poverty worldwide.