BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- Each month, “WBZ Cares” highlights a worthy non-profit organization and tells the story of what that organization does for the community. This month WBZ is profiling School the World,a non-profit organization committed to solving extreme poverty through the power of education.
WBZ Cares features the Boston based nonprofit School the World. With the mission of solving extreme poverty through the power of education, the organization has built 100 schools in Central America. Fifty percent of the funding to build the schools and a year of education programming is typically raised through student service trips abroad.
“We call it a service-learning program. It has a global citizenship component as well,” said School the World’s Chief of Staff and Operations Natalie Hambor.
Natalie Hambor oversees the service trip program. She says students pay $3,600 for the week-long trip and usually fundraise to pay for it.
“It funds not only all of their travel and supports all their travel, but it also funds 50% of the actual building of the school. The construction materials and then the initial programming of teacher training, parent training, books and materials,” outlined Hambor.
It's an impactful and eye-opening experience.
“Many, if not all of our students come back extremely appreciative of the education and the life that they have been given here and really understanding how there are so many challenges on international education and access to quality education. And it really changes our perspective in that regard,” said Hambor.
High school junior Emma Rohrer went to Guatemala.
“I didn't really realize how much I was contributing, but then there was like an opening ceremony and it was just great to see it all come together and see the kids enjoying the classroom and enjoying playing on the swings,” stated Newton Country Day School junior Emma Rohrer.
High school senior Teniola Ogungbadero has made two service trips to Guatemala.
“We do like the finishing of the sidewalk with cement and we paint the school. You also like make a playground from scratch,” said Ogungbadero, also from the Newton Country Day School.
“You're impacting someone else's life. You might not think of it, but they're also kind of impacting yours. It's an experience that stays with you for a really long time,” outlined Ogungbadero.
Upcoming trips are being planned for spring and summer. Information sessions are being held on January 28th and 29th. To attend or for more information go to www.schooltheworld.org
WBZ NewsRadio1030's Shari Small Reports