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Angola
A Portuguese colony for nearly 500 years, Angola acceded to independence before enduring a brutal 27-year civil war that finally came to conclusion in 2002. In the wake of the protracted conflict, countless numbers of people died, were displaced internally or fled seeking refuge in neighbouring countries. Additionally, the war left the country’s infrastructure in utter ruin and disrepair. As a result, almost an entire generation of Angolans were left illiterate, having grown up without the opportunity for an education. Since the end of the war, the country’s population has doubled and currently stands at 24.4 million – half of which are adolescents under the age of 14. At present, Angola ranks 149th out of 188 countries on the UN Human Development Index and has one of the highest infant mortality rates (one in 6 Angolan children die before the age of 5) in the world.
Bangladesh
According to UNICEF, 40% of Bangladesh’s population is children and statistics indicate that 600,000 are out of school. To contribute to increased enrolment, we have forged partnerships in Bangladesh and are currently working on four project programs that extend over a period of 1 – 6 years. Upon completion our projects will contribute to the enrollment of more than 200,000 children.
Benin
Benin, situated in West Africa and sharing borders with four other African countries and the Atlantic Ocean, occupies a land mass of approximately 113,000 square kilometres. Modern-day Benin was formerly the site of Dahomey, a prominent regional kingdom of its time. The French began making incursions along the kingdom’s coastal areas in the latter half of the 19th century, eventually conquering it by 1894. In 1958, the country became a self-governing member of the French Community and in 1960 it acceded to full independence. Today, Benin’s economy relies heavily on subsistence agriculture, cotton production and regional trade.
Brazil
The largest country in South America, the Federative Republic of Brazil occupies roughly 8.5 million square miles and borders 10 other countries on the continent as well as the Atlantic Ocean to its East. Internationally, Brazil is considered a rising economic power and is one of the world’s most populous democracies. For many years, exploitation of the Amazon Rainforest, of which considerable portions exist within the country’s frontiers, has been a source of concern on the international stage.
Burkina Faso
A landlocked Sahelian/Saharan country in West Africa, Burkina Faso shares borders with six other African countries. The country ranks amongst the poorest in the world and in 2012 armed conflict and instability from neighbouring Mali brought about a humanitarian crisis and waves of refugees into Burkina Faso. In 2014, Burkina Faso captured the 181st position in the United Nations Human Development Index. That same year, the country’s head of state was ousted from the presidency in a popular uprising after having ruled Burkina Faso for 27 years.
Cambodia
The Kingdom of Cambodia has, over the last decade, enjoyed robust economic growth – GDP is estimated to have grown at approximately 8 percent between 2000 and 2010, and at least at 7 percent since 2011. As such, the government envisions Cambodia entering the realms of lower-middle income country status by 2030 and achieving developed country status by 2050.
Chad
Chad is one of the world’s largest refugee host countries. In response the educational needs of the children who are out of school, EAC supports two projects in Chad; one of in partnership with UNHCR, and another in collaboration with UNICEF, where the programs supports government efforts to increase primary school completion rates.
Comoros
An archipelago nation consisting of four major islands, including Anjouan, Grande Comore, Moheli, and Mayotte (this island voted against independence in 1974 and is governed by France currently), the Union of Comoros is situated in the mouth of the Mozambique Channel between Madagascar and Mozambique. Since independence, the country has grappled with regular intervals of political instability, as the country’s more than 20 coups and/or attempted coups often precipitate bouts of civil unrest and violent conflict. The demographic composition of Comoros is diverse, owing to the populations of the descendants of Arab traders, Malay immigrants and African peoples. Chief amongst the country’s exports are cloves, perfume essence and vanilla, and approximately 70 per cent of the population is employed in the agricultural sector.
Côte d’Ivoire
Situated in West Africa, Côte d’Ivoire shares borders with five other countries. Once considered the jewel of West Africa, due to its modern cities and steady economic growth, Côte d’Ivoire has been embattled of late, grappling with the aftermath of a protracted political/military conflict that boiled over in 2010. However, the country has begun to consolidate the gains of relative peace, political stability and community development initiatives. Still, increasing demographic pressures and economic stagnation weigh heavily over Côte d’Ivoire’s education sector.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is the African continent’s second largest country in terms of sheer landmass and shares borders with nine other countries. The DRC is endowed with enormous natural resource wealth, such as gold, copper, cobalt and uranium, and approximately 34 percent of its territory is fertile, arable land. However, the country’s natural resources have, over the years, proven burdensome, as they have engendered corruption at the highest levels and sustained armed conflicts.
Ethiopia
Situated in East Africa, Ethiopia is vast, shares borders with six other countries and has a population of 84 million, the second highest on the continent. Annual population growth is estimated at 2.6 percent and children under the age of 15 are thought to total 33 million. The country has a federal system of governance and includes nine states and two city administrations. The government has made a concerted effort to link the education sector with macroeconomic policy to achieve the objective of arriving at middle-income country status by 2025.
Ghana
Ghana is composed of three principal ecological zones: the Coastal Savannah, the Forest and the Northern Savannah (Upper West, Upper East and Northern regions). The country’s economy is bolstered by cocoa production and gold-mining, which occur primarily in the south. By contrast, the north has a harsher environment and is characterised by seasonal southward migration of workers and their families. Ghana’s north has the highest rates of poverty and illiteracy in the country.
Guinea-Bissau
Situated in West Africa and sharing borders with two other African countries, Guinea-Bissau was once administered as part of the Cape Verde Islands and known as the Slave Coast under the dominion of the Portuguese in the mid-15th Century. In 1879, Guinea-Bissau became a distinct colony within the Portuguese Empire. The country obtained independence in 1974 after a brutal guerrilla war with Portugal. Since independence Guinea-Bissau’s development has been impeded by political instability, conflict and insecurity, and corruption. Today, the country is one of the poorest in the world with an overhanging foreign debt obligation. Furthermore, Guinea-Bissau has become a transhipment point for Latin American drugs destined for Europe.
Haiti
The Republic of Haiti is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere. EAC works in partnership with CARE and buildOn to provide access to quality primary education for out of school children.
India
India, with a population of 1.2 billion, is the world’s largest democracy. The country is vast, composed of 29 States and seven Union Territories with diverse socio-cultural contexts and various geographic and climatic conditions. As regards India’s governing structure, the Centre and the States share responsibility for planning and implementation of development programming.
Indonesia
With a population of around 250 million spread over seventeen thousand islands, across five thousand miles, Indonesia’s people are ethnically diverse as can be witnessed through their use of 300 different local languages. EAC partners with UNESCO in Indonesia to help out of school children overcome barriers to education.
Iran
Situated in South Asia, the Islamic Republic of Iran shares borders with Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Pakistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, as well as the Caspian Sea, the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf. Between 2006-2011, the country’s population growth averaged 1.3 per cent per annum. As of 2012, approximately 72 per cent and 28 per cent of Iranian people resided in urban and rural locales, respectively. Iran is a moderately youthful country, as roughly one-third (31.5 per cent) of the population is between the ages of 15 to 29 and almost one-fourth (23.4 per cent) is 14 or younger. Regarding Iran’s GDP, the country’s economy, from 2006-2012, vacillated between growth and retraction. At the start of the millennium, GPD per capita was estimated at US$ 1,096; however, in 2011 the same economic indicator was calculated to be US$ 6,869
Iraq
Starting in the 1980s, Iraq, a prosperous oil nation, began to undergo detrimental bouts of violence and military conflict with its neighbours Iran and later Kuwait. These activities along with ensuing international sanctions had far-reaching effects on the country’s economy and development. What remained of the economy was, in large part, destroyed by the 2003 invasion and insurgent attacks on the country’s infrastructure, which have cost Iraq billions in revenue. At present, significant levels of sectarian violence, insecurity and corruption hamper the country’s development prospects.
Jordan
Located at the crossroads of the Middle East, Jordan shares borders with Iraq, Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Saudi Arabia and Syria. Unlike many of the country’s eastern and southern neighbours, Jordan has no oil deposits and as such, services, tourism and U.S. foreign assistance are central to its economy. A blueprint, known as the National Agenda, articulating the country’s path towards long-term political, economic and social reform has yet to be fully implemented, though multi-party politics were introduced in 1992.
Kenya
Located in East Africa, Kenya shares borders with five other countries and the Indian Ocean. The country is home to 42 distinct ethnic groups, comprising a population of approximately 38.6 million. For the most part, Kenya’s recent history has been characterised by relatively peaceful and stable domestic relations, though in 2007 post-election violence brought to the fore ethnic tensions, which reversed hard-earned socio-economic gains. Since then the government has sought to make education reform central to the social pillar of its initiative Kenya Vision 2030.
Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Landlocked in south-eastern Asia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) was a French colony from 1893 to 1953, until a power struggle between rival factions eventually led to the overthrow of the country’s monarchy in 1975 by communist forces. The period that ensued heralded years of isolation in Lao PDR, which only began to relent with the fall of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. At that time, the country started to open its doors to the outside world and introduce economic reforms. However, Laos is still in relative economic straits and dependant on foreign aid. The majority of Laotians live in rural locales, with approximately 80 per cent of the country’s people working in agriculture. The Lao Government aspires to utilise its capacity to generate hydroelectric power to become the “battery” of the region and its primary source of revenue by 2025.
Lebanon
Lebanon has long been a hub for commerce and political concern from various interests. A diverse mix of communities and governance issues have aroused the concern of neighbouring states at different times. Lebanon has housed waves of Palestinian refugees and more recently Syrians fleeing conflict, placing a significant strain on the country’s resources.
Liberia
Liberia is situated on the West African littoral and shares borders with three other African nations and the Atlantic Ocean. The country was founded in the 1820s by the descendants of the Americo-Liberian population under the auspices of the American Colonization Society. Liberia, today, is a country of vast ethnic diversity, as it is home to roughly 18 distinct indigenous groups. Annual population growth is estimated to stand at about 2.5 per cent and the majority of Liberians are concentrated in urban areas. The country’s primary exports consist of iron ore, rubber, gold and timber.
Madagascar
Off the coast of southern Africa and in the Southwestern Indian Ocean, the island nation of Madagascar covers approximately 587,000 square kilometres of surface area and is organised into 22 administrative divisions. As of 2013 the country’s total population was estimated at 21.8 million. Demographically, Madagascar is a relatively young nation with 49 per cent of the population under the age of 15. According to the 2013 edition of the United Nations Human Development Index, Madagascar ranked 151 out of 187 countries. In 2002 and 2009, severe political crises aggravated the country’s economy, depressing stability, security and fuelling corruption. Since, the country has seen modest economic gains; however, in 2010 approximately 76.5 per cent of Malagasies still lived below the poverty line.
Malawi
Situated in Southern Africa, the Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country, sharing borders with Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia. Soon after declaring independence the British in July 1964, the country was ruled by Dr Hastings Banda who presided over a one-party state for the next three decades. In 1994, Bakili Muluzi of the United Democratic Front was elected president in the country’s first ever multi-party elections. Occupying roughly 118,000 square kilometres, Malawi’s main exports are tobacco, tea, sugar and cotton. According to the UN, life expectancy for men and women in the country is approximately 55 years and GDP growth in 2012 was 1.8 per cent. In 2015, Malawi ranked 170 out of 188 other countries and territories on the UN’s Human Development Index.
Malaysia
Situated in the South China Sea, Malaysia, a peninsula of approximately 30 million people, shares land borders with Brunei, Indonesia and Thailand. Considered an upper middle-income country, Malaysia, averaged real GDP growth of almost six per cent per annum between 2000-2013. The country consists of 13 states and three federal territories. In 2011, roughly 73 per cent of Malaysia’s population is found in urban centres, especially in Georgetown, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Kuantan and Kuching. The country has a multi-ethnic demographic composition, consisting of ethnic Malays, Chinese, Indians and other groups. Additionally, Malaysia is host to numerous migrant and refugee communities. Endowed with a youthful population, about 26 per cent of the country’s people are under the age of 14.
Mali
Situated in the heart of West Africa, Mali is a Sahelian country that shares borders with seven other African countries. Recent estimates indicate that if annual population growths continues unabated at 3.6 percent, Mali’s population under the age of 25 will double. As it happens, the country’s population is unevenly distributed throughout the national territory, as 77.5 percent of people live in disparate rural areas. Roughly 73 percent of people in rural areas and 63 percent of the population overall live in poverty. Compounding matters, an armed conflict and instability emanating from the North, have, since 2012, brought about a humanitarian crisis in the country and an influx of refugees into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.
Myanmar
Myanmar, the largest mainland country in Southeast Asia, is home to more than approximately 130 ethnic groups with distinct cultures and languages. The country has known periodic spells of armed conflict and inter-communal violence, particularly in border areas, which trigger flows of refugees and internal displacement. In addition, poverty is a formidable development challenge in Myanmar. According to the 2009-2010 Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey in Myanmar, 26 percent of the population lived below the national poverty line and poverty incidence was concentrated in Ayeyarwaddy, Chin, Rakhine, Shan and Tanintharyi.
Nepal
Located between China to the North and India to the South, Nepal is a landlocked country composed of a vastly diverse population with distinct cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds. A 2011 national census revealed that the country was home to at least 125 ethnic groups. According to the Nepal Living Standards Survey conducted the year prior, approximately one-fourth of the population lives below the poverty line. Furthermore, the 2013 United Nations Human Development Index classified Nepal 157 amongst 187 countries. In April 2015, a massive earthquake killed scores of people and devastated the country’s infrastructure.
Niger
Landlocked in West Africa, Niger is a Sahelian/Saharan country, sharing borders with seven other African countries. In comparison with some of its oil-rich neighbours, Niger is endowed with relatively scant natural resource wealth. Furthermore, the country is beset by an array of challenges related to desertification and the expansion of the Sahara, as well as cyclical droughts. In 2012, an armed conflict and instability from neighbouring Mali, precipitated a humanitarian crisis in and an influx of refugees into the country. As of 2014, Niger appeared at the 187th position in the United Nations Human Development Index. Demographic pressures (3.9 percent annual population growth) weigh on the country’s development prospects as well.
Nigeria
Nigeria is a federation of 36 states and a Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. An estimated 48 percent of the population is urbanised and 52 percent live in rural areas; an approximate 60 percent of people work in agriculture. Today, Nigeria boasts Africa’s largest economy with an estimated GDP of US$479 billion. GDP growth is estimated at 6.1 percent (excluding oil and mining), due to strong performances in professional services, industry and agriculture. The country’s main exports are petroleum, petroleum products, cocoa and rubber. Oil accounts for about 90 percent of Nigeria’s exports and 75 percent of budgetary revenues. Yet troublingly, oil and gas revenues are thought to have dropped by 14.4 percent since 2013.
Pakistan
Pakistan is transitioning from an agriculture economy to one oriented around industry and services. The country spends a large proportion of its budget on national security and loan interest payments, leaving relatively smaller amounts for investment in infrastructure and social services, such as health and education.
Philippines
Philippines is home to more than 98 million people who live across more than 7,000 islands in South East Asia, much of which is mountainous and prone to earthquakes and eruptions from any of its 20 active volcanoes - as well as being subjected to typhoons and storms. Forecasters say that the birth rate is so high in this country that its population could double within three decades (BBC). EAC has partnered with UNESCO to strengthen education systems for out of school children.
Rwanda
Located in Central Africa, the Republic of Rwanda is a landlocked country, sharing borders with Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania and Uganda. Since the genocidal massacre that claimed the lives of approximately 800,000 people in 1994, Rwanda has striven to reconstruct and rebuild. The elaboration of Vision 2020 has set Rwanda’s sights on becoming a modern, strong and united middle-income country oriented around a knowledge-based economy and the government has sought to position itself as an investment beacon in the region by building a solid base of human capital. However, the agricultural sector is still a key driver of the economy, as it accounts for roughly one-third of GDP and 80 per cent of the population is employed therein. The country’s principal exports consist of coffee, tea, sorghum, livestock, beans, potatoes and tobacco. Notably, the poverty rate across Rwanda declined 12 per cent from 2006 and 2012.
Senegal
Located in West Africa, Senegal is a Sahelian/Saharan country, sharing borders with five other African nations and the Atlantic Ocean. Between 1988 and 2011, the country’s population nearly doubled and as of 2013 that figure stood at nearly 13.5 million. Approximately 50 per cent of Senegal’s people are under the age of 20 and 23 per cent of the people live in the country’s capital city, Dakar. Senegal’s youthful and rapid population growth exerts pressure on the education system in terms of enrolment, access to higher levels and the learning environments.
Sierra Leone
Sharing borders with three other countries and the West African littoral, Sierra Leone was, historically, a transit point in the Transatlantic slave trade for African captives. In 1787, British abolitionists and philanthropists established a settlement known as ‘Freetown’ for repatriated and rescued Africans, which eventually would become the nation’s capital. A brutal civil war beginning in 1991 and a series of military coups thereafter rattled Sierra Leone, as well as neighbouring countries, and did not permit the return of peace and stability until 2002. Since the war’s conclusion the country has made economic strides and the government has worked to suppress illicit trafficking in diamonds and minerals, which Sierra Leone has in abundance and fuelled the conflict.
Somalia
The multiple levels of crisis in Somalia have affected education delivery and contributed to one of the lowest school enrolment rates in the world with only 42% of primary school age children in school. EAC works with CARE and UNICEF to ensure the most vulnerable can gain access to primary education.
South Africa
Poverty is a significant barrier to education in South Africa and despite significant successes in developing the diversity of the economy since the end of apartheid. Although close to achievement, South Africa still faces challenges in meeting the millennium development goal of universal primary education. EAC is working with the Roger Federer Foundation to improve the quality of education in Limpopo, to increase the enrolment and retention of out of school children.
South Sudan
The Republic of South Sudan became the world’s youngest country on 9 July 2011, following the conclusion of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and a partition with its northern neighbour, Sudan. The fledgling country has, since its birth, known relatively little peace, security and stability. Political in-fighting amongst the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) has fuelled tensions and conflict, particularly between the country’s two largest ethnic groups – the Dinka and the Nuer. The ongoing conflict has wreaked havoc on South Sudan’s infrastructure and school-age children, producing scores of internally displaced people and refugees, stretching the country’s already thin resources.
Sudan
Located near the north-eastern corner of the continent, the Republic of the Sudan shares borders with seven other African countries in the North and the sub-Sahara. Until the partition of its southern half in July 2011, which led to the birth of South Sudan, the country was the most geographically diverse and largest state in Africa. Though acceding to southern independence, various outstanding issues with South Sudan fester, especially regarding the matter of shared oil revenues and border demarcation. In addition, Sudan is still beset by conflict stemming from unrest in the western region of Darfur.
Syrian Arab Republic
Syria is a country of 14 provinces with its capital based in Damascus. Its economy has deteriorated steadily amid the ongoing conflict that began in 2011, declining by an estimated 62 percent from 2010 to 2014. The government has struggled to address the effects of international sanctions, widespread infrastructure damage, diminished domestic consumption and production and rising inflation, which has led to spiking budget and trade deficits, a shrinking value of the Syrian pound and falling household purchasing power.
Tanzania
Tanzania, located in East Africa, borders eight other countries to the North, West, South and the Indian Ocean to the East. The country is a democratic nation and has operated under a multi-party system since 1992. Tanzania’s economy is largely oriented around agricultural production and variations in rainfall are not without effect. However, according to the World Bank, the country regularly posts “impressive growth” and has, in effect, outperformed other developed countries and fast-emerging economies on occasion. Yet the World Bank has also cautioned that the benefits of Tanzania’s economic growth mostly elude rural populations, who comprise the majority of the country’s poor.
Thailand
Facing the Strait of Malacca to its West and the South China Sea to the East, the Kingdom of Thailand shares land borders with four other countries in South-east Asia. Unlike other countries in the region, Thailand was never subjected to colonial conquest. The Buddhist religion predominates and the monarchy and the military have played formidable roles in shaping Thai society, culture and politics. Since 1947 Thailand has largely known military rule with a few intervals of democratic governance. Demographically, the country has an aging population and growth rates in that respect have begun to slow. The Thai Government has acknowledged the demographic shifts and prioritised the rapid development of human resource capacity, so as to position the country for successful competition in the global market economy of the 21st Century.
Timor-Leste
As one of the poorest nations in Asia, it is said that Timor-Leste (formerly East Timor) will rely on outside Aid for many years to come. This country has a well-known recent history of how its independence came about; the people of this country were met with very high levels of atrocity and violence. Over the past decade and post-independence, however, Timor-Leste has begun to benefit from the foundations of successful development. EAC, in partnership with UNESCO, aims to support the primary education in this country through policy advocacy that considers the needs of out of school children.
Togo
Modern-day Togo, along the West African littoral, shares borders with three other countries. In the latter part of the 19th Century, ‘Togoland’ – as it was then known – was a German protectorate relying on forced labour to cultivate cotton, cocoa and coffee. Stewardship of the country was eventually handed to Great Britain and France in the wake of WWI. In 1960, Togo gained independence from France. Starting in 1967, the country was ruled by Gnassingbé Eyadéma until his demise and the succession of his son in 2005. Today, Togo is one of the world’s largest producers of phosphates and a transit point for poached ivory from the region.
Turkey
Situated in the Middle East, the modern-day Republic of Turkey was, from the 15th Century the centre of the Ottoman Empire, bridging continental Europe, Asia and the Arabian Peninsula. Today, the country shares borders with Bulgaria and Greece on its northwest frontier and Armenia, Georgia, Iran, Iraq and Syria to the southeast. After the fall of Ottoman rule in 1923, Turkey declared itself a republic, under the leadership of Kemal Ataturk. At present, the country’s service sector accounts for a growing share of its economy, though traditional agriculture represents approximately 25 per cent of employment.
Uganda
Uganda has made substantial progress to date toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In partnership with UNHCR, Plan Canada and Building Tomorrow, EAC works to support both refugee and primary education in Uganda.
Vietnam
Vietnam is emerging from decades of colonialism, war, and an impoverished command economy. Because of extreme poverty, children often must work before and after school to support their family, usually by peddling something, working in factories, and offering other goods and services. EAC and our partner UNESCO are aiming to provide support to Vietnamese children to overcome the barriers to education.
Yemen
Retaining much of its tribal character, north and south Yemen joined forces in 1990 to become what we know today as Yemen. Internal conflict in the form of protests resulted in then president Saleh stepping down. Political reforms followed, however in September 2014, rebels seized the capital, Sanaa and according to the BBC, have shown no signs of readiness to withdraw. EAC partnerships with UNHCR and with UNICEF will ensure quality education for tens of thousands of children in Yemen.
