Unlock Foundation key to educational gap

Scott Karrel and Michelle Shapiro, both Co-founders of Unlock Foundation a non profit organisation that seeks to address critical education gaps in rural African schools, are in Namibia to follow up on the progress of their projects in the country.
The duo worked with teachers, students and community members on small sustainable projects that ensured students received the best primary education possible.
Karrel said that they started the organisation to address the barriers that kept children out of school and they are currently working with teachers and learners at Divundu Combined School and Erriki Tauya Jr. Secondary School.
“The teachers of Divundu Combined School and I, knew that when working together we could make a difference to give these boys and girls the education they deserve,” said Karrel.
Since their inception, the Unlock Foundation have emphasised that all students are in control of their own destiny and progress cannot happen without their voices being heard and their ideas pursued. “The government student’s at our partners schools are the change agents to create, develop and lead the projects and the projects range from school infrastructure renovation, providing new classroom materials improving the sanitation conditions and empowering the student leaders,” said Karrel.

The foundation chose education because they recognise that it is a fundamental human right and vital to achieving economic growth, increasing income, sustaining a healthy society and opening doors of possibilities.
”I truly believe that education is the key to provide a path out of poverty for millions around the world and by working together we can make enormous progress,” said  Karrel.
The foundation is committed to ensure that by 2020 every student at their partner schools can regularly attend class, meet educational standards and more importantly the schools and communities can sustain that level of success themselves.
“The is a great African proverb that truly embodies the reason why we started the organisation, ‘if you want to go quickly, go alone, if you want to go far, go together’,” said Scott.
The foundation is also in partnership with Old Odunase School in Ghana.