The School Fund (TSF) is a nonprofit organization with a simple purpose: make education accessible. We are so proud to partner with them to bring awareness to the global education crisis, and give those who need it most the opportunity to learn.

Why Does The School Fund Exist?

The School Fund was created to tackle the global education crisis and solve the education deficit. Currently, 63% of adolescents around the world are not in school. This is mostly in Sub-Saharan African and Asian countries. There are many barriers to secondary school education that vary from location to location. Some of the main reasons why adolescents don’t attend school are the high costs of school fees and supplies, long distances to schools, safety concerns, and social norms. By completely rethinking how to fund secondary education across the developing world, The School Fund is innovating a way to make education accessible.

How Do They Generate Funds?

To solve the education crisis The School Fund utilizes partnerships with local organizations and crowdfunding. The local organizations are responsible for finding high potential students in developing areas – especially countries experiencing conflict – and selecting them for scholarships. The School Fund features these students on their website which gives donors the opportunity to crowdfund a scholarship for each student.

One of The School Fund’s biggest events of the year is Match Day. On Match Days, all contributions to The School Fund are matched dollar for dollar by an anonymous donor. Match Days have successfully fundraised hundreds of dollars for students all over the world. What’s most important is that 100% of donations collected go directly to funding student scholarships.

Why The School Fund Is Important

Education provides significant benefits in every society. Secondary education supports economic growth, gender equity, and better health. One extra year of secondary education increases wages by 10%. Contributing to The School Fund brings this growth to areas in the world that are economically disadvantaged. By improving education in other areas of the world, we are effectively raising the quality of living globally and improving the standard of education across all countries.

The School Fund also focuses on the education of women and girls, and how education can improve their lives. There are many advantages of educating girls such as fewer unplanned pregnancies, healthier children and face lower infant mortality rates. Giving women and girls the access to education can instill personal confidence and empowerment. It also opens doors for new opportunities outside the roles women may be restricted to having  in developing countries.

Why is RED partnering with The School Fund?

The School Fund strongly believes that education gives young people the tools they need to build a better life for themselves, their families and in some cases, their entire communities. Here at RED we share the same belief. We believe in giving people the tools to create the future they desire, and work in careers that are meaningful. We are both disrupting education and solving today’s biggest skills gaps.

“I’m passionate about tackling poverty and developing the next generation of global citizens who are engaged with the world, finding solutions to the world’s most pressing needs. Education is at the heart of this work and something so fundamental, it is often something we take for granted here in the west. We created The School Fund to address the global education crisis. We provide scholarships through a crowdfunding model to high potential students across the developing world and engage local partners who are on the ground…this is how you generate lasting impact and change.” — Matt Severson, Founder, The School Fund (Source: https://goo.gl/bv78Cz)

Without The School Fund, many students in developing countries would be left without an opportunity for education. By supporting The School Fund, you can make a meaningful difference and change a student’s life. You can donate your money, time, or voice. A few ways you can support The School Fund are by joining their monthly giving program, launching a campaign for students or sharing  student stories on social media. Your support helps to overcome some of the key barriers to secondary education and reduces or eliminates the cost of tuition supplies, food, and transportation.

To learn more, get involved and find a student, visit theschoolfund.org