By Ashley McLeod, Staff Writer
Jan 2, 2015, 15:21
PRINCE GEORGE — In a world where nearly 900 million people are illiterate, education has become an important topic socially and politically. Education is one of the most important aspects of being successful and is described as a building block to success, for both an individual and a country.
There are many locations across the globe that are struggling to bring themselves out of poverty, and make their country a better place to live. A group of students from Prince George High School has made it their mission to help bring education to these countries, and to help the citizens become better people.
The group of students is part of a local chapter of the national group, buildOn, and is the only chapter of the organization located in Virginia.
“Our mission is to break the cycle of poverty, illiteracy, and low expectations through service and education,” said Tyneshia Griffin, president of the PGHS buildOn chapter.
BuildOn is an organization that teaches students to transform their neighborhoods, as well as neighborhoods in other countries, through community service. The main goal of the movement is to work on ending poverty through education.
The organization sends students from America into under-resourced, developing nations to build schools and try and further education in order to help citizens in these countries better themselves, and in turn, better their country.
“The trip immerses students in different cultures and teaches them the importance of education and how education is a catalyst for economic and social change in developing nations,” Griffin said. “It proves that education is a positive means of change.”
Last year, the PGHS buildOn group traveled to Senegal, Africa. While there, the students were joined by students from other chapters of buildOn from across the United States. While there, the students stayed with host families in the village and were without running water or electricity, living just as the locals were.
“You’re totally immersed in a place where you aren’t from. You’re immersed in the poverty there, and you have to live in it,” Griffin said.
Griffin also said that one of the hardest parts of the trip was the language barrier between everyone.
“You don’t speak the same language, so you have to find a different means of communication. We used hand signals, drew pictures. You really learn about the importance of communication,” Griffin said.
The trip is entirely paid for by donations given to the chapter throughout the year. The students hold many fundraising events, such as a 5K, an electronics recycling drive, and also get support from local businesses.
Due to the costs of the trip, the group is only planning on sending two students this year.
This year we’re aiming to build another school in Haiti, and because of funds, we’re aiming to send one or two people,” said Lindsay Pugh, the vice president of the PGHS buildOn chapter.
The chapter is currently raising money for this year’s trip, which will occur in June. Their goal is to raise $30,000 to fund the construction of the school in Haiti.
In 2015, the organization as a whole plans to travel to Haiti, Malawi, Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Nepal, and Nicaragua, building at 170 schools. Since 1992, buildOn has built more than 650 schools worldwide, which serve 85,000 people.
The group travels to some of the poorest areas in the world in order to spread change.
Volunteers for the organization have worked more than 200,000 hours with the group on the goal of reducing the statistic of those who cannot read or write while motivating those individuals towards bettering themselves.
“Everyone is working towards change, or working towards something. Education drives them. They realize their potential,” Griffin said.
To learn more about the buildOn chapter at Prince George High School, visit act.buildon.org/fundraise/team?ftid=36797, or contact them at PGHSbuildOnTrek@gmail.com.
