A reflection: why education matters to us
It’s hard to believe that in this world with its ever increasing wealth and technological advancement, there are still large populations without access to the most basic resources.
We’ve reached the moon, have computers that can think as fast as the human brain, and are able to engineer products and services that can reach people from across the world at the click of a button, yet millions around the globe still lack proper housing, quality healthcare, and access to education.
The desire for quality education is a significant motivating factor for us at Educase. Though we recognise that our work is just a small attempt to solve a major issue, our bags mean a lot to those we serve, and form a piece of the puzzle needed to help under-resourced societies have a better educational experience. Having a unified team on board with this vision is a crucial aspect of our work, and though we’re a small team, it is what encourages us to keep searching for schools, create partnerships and distribute our innovative bags.
Each of our unique backgrounds and experiences have shaped our personal perspectives about education, but bring us together through our work at Educase, so we took a moment to reflect on why and how education matters to each of us:
Neha (Co-founder) — To me, education is a tool that unlocks the mind and opens the door to opportunities in life. Coming from Pakistan, where unfortunately, it is not accessible to all, I feel lucky to have had a good quality education that exposed me to different people, places and situations. Every subject and encounter has helped me evolve as a person and enriched my understanding of the world. Thinking back to my ancestors, it was their efforts and education that continued this chain of behaviour to get us to the present day, highlighting how it takes just one or two people to change the course of generations to come. I feel very fortunate that both my parents and grandparents never let the fact that I am ‘a girl’ limit my opportunities — in fact, it was always them who encouraged me to aim higher, and over the years, I’ve realised how monumental this support has been to help me grow.
Often underestimated, this ‘power’ of education is a personal motivation for me to be involved in the field, and my wish is to see more communities in South Asia feel empowered and be given quality education to reach their full potential to create better lives for themselves and their next generations.
Vedika (Co-founder) — I’ve always believed that the right education has the power to solve all the problems in the world. It creates the ability to look at a situation, process that information rationally and make decisions based on our understanding — which is shaped by knowledge gained over years of access to education. I’ve been lucky to have had easy access to education all my life, giving me the opportunity to interact with people from all backgrounds across the world. These experiences helped me shape my opinions and develop curiosity to learn more, to keep an open mind to new information and to continue learning. For me, education never meant getting the highest grades at school or knowing all the answers in an exam; it was always trying to ‘know the causes of things’, coincidentally the motto of one of the places I studied at.
After interacting with people over the years, including those who’ve had access to education and those that haven’t, I can see a clear difference in their ability to understand the world’s challenges. Unless we bridge that gap, there isn’t a way to create solutions on a global scale.
Pratima (Social Media) — Education is my gateway to freedom. Anything can be achieved through thorough education and meticulous practice. I have learned that people can persistently push their educational limits if suitable self-learning skills are acquired; a skill that I too am trying to develop with help of materials like Ultralearning and Learning How To Learn books to set a foundation. This is also why I admire the Educase project because I believe their bags can be the supporting factor for many students like how those books are for me.
Pramish (Communications) — Education becomes a catalyst in a person’s personality development. It opens a person to numerous ideas and hence, assists in offering a clear and comprehensive vision to an individual. It comprises one with a more solution-oriented attitude and greater comprehension and analytical abilities. It also creates discipline within a person. Our beliefs, values, attitudes are moulded by our education, and it also enhances an individual’s self-confidence.
Receiving an education is a gift that many of us take for granted. It’s funny how as kids, we are often unaware of our privilege, getting excited at the opportunity to skip a school day or not get any homework, when in other parts of the world, there are children eager to put on their school uniforms and go to school, but unable to get the chance to learn. It’s easy to forget how our education plays a role in our lives, but once you truly look back, it’s everything — it’s where you learn how to think, where you create friendships, and is what crafts our understanding of the world. We at Educase believe that education is an investment into someone having a better, healthier and happier future, and this belief is what keeps us going through the ups and downs of having a social impact start-up.
