Taking Action on the Millennium Development Goals

Education for all!

We are already halfway through summer, which means it is time to start thinking about heading back to school. Every September, millions of children in North America have the opportunity to attend school and learn to read, learn a new language or share a story. Imagine what life is like for a child born in the poorest parts of the world. There are still many places around the world where children are forced to go to work every day in order to help their family meet their most basic human needs, like food, shelter and water. For these children, the opportunity to attend school is far beyond their reach.

Now, imagine it was in your power—yes, you!—to change the lives of these children by providing nourishment, health care, education and hope for a better tomorrow. A brighter future is possible. We are the first generation that has the ability to reach these goals, if we work together with our peers overseas.

This summer, over 130 youth from around the world will join like-minded friends to learn about how to change the world at our 8th annual Take Action! Academy. This summer’s Academy will focus on the Millennium Development Goals and how our generation can help keep the goals’ promise.

In 2000, 189 nations came together and set eight goals to be achieved by 2015. The objective was to promote a collaborative approach to our world’s most pressing problems. These are measurable goals and targets which nations promised to reach by 2015. One of these goals is to achieve universal primary education for all youth around the world.

Global partnership – one shovel at a time!

There are many ways we can work together to help reach the Millennium Development Goals. One fun way to learn about the Millennium Development Goals and see how youth are creating change and developing their leadership skills is by attending the Take Action! Academy. You can also get involved in our Volunteer and Leadership Trips abroad, which allow participants to work directly with communities in Kenya, Ecuador, and China. We partner with local communities to create opportunities toward breaking the cycle of poverty. Trip volunteers lend their hands to the digging of school foundations, raising walls and leaving a place of learning and hope that will serve children for generations.

By getting involved, you can help the world reach many of the Millennium Development Goals—including achieving universal primary education, ending extreme poverty and hunger and developing a global partnership for development.

We can all help to keep the promise. We challenge you to find your own passion and put it into action!

Learn More About the Take Action! Academy
Take an international volunteer trip to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals
Take action on the Millennium Development Goals from home through Adopt a Village

Free The Children is the largest network of children helping children through education in the world, with more than one million youth involved in our innovative education and development programs in 45 countries. Founded by international child rights activist Craig Kielburger, Free The Children has an established track-record of success, with three nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize and partnerships with the United Nations and Oprah’s Angel Network.