Can I ask you a question?

Do you know children in Some parts of the world need to pay to go to school?

Yes, you heard me clearly, your parents have to pay for you to be educated in Some countries, from Kindergarten to your final day in college.

It’s important for you to know that some parts of the world are not as lucky and blessed as we are here in America.

Hello. I’m Paris Ndu. and I am just 8 year old, and from Houston Texas. I am the CEO and founder of Open Door Initiatives where our mission is to make sure children all over the world get proper education and medical support they need. I asked my parents to set up a charity organization for me because, I believe that every child deserve the chance to live a healthy and productive life.

I’m here to share with you how you can join me in working toward changing the world. Together we can help kids all over the world, go to school, stay in school and get the medical care they need to be healthy.

This is a larger issue than many people realize.

For example in Africa, School fees are a major problem. Many poor families simply cannot afford to pay the needed fees to attend school. Those fees can range from $65 per child .
Kids in Africa are talented, very intelligent but there’s little opportunity for them to go to school and showcase this God’s given talent.

I will share 3 main issues Africa countries are facing alone:

(1) Government policies – Education at every level is funded by the parent’s of the students because the government doesn’t give little or no support for educational development. That puts more challenges on already struggling parents who’re living on small salary, to keep up on paying for their kids because of other responsibilities.

(2) High Rate of Educational Materials and School Fee – Due to the government not providing school materials, the school authority gets these materials in the local market at a small rate and makes the parents pay too much to make sure their children are in school.

(3) Lack of Education and Knowledge – some parents did not go to school, so they don’t believe in education. They grow up selling at the traffic light and that is what they have to offer their kids . You are poor doesn’t mean your kids will be poor as well. That your father cleans people’s shoes does mean you will be a shore cleaner when you grow up. You can be a Doctor, Engender, business owner and other professional jobs.

School fees have been common in Africa since the 1980s. In the 1980s, schools started demanding school fees as a source of funds, instead of supporting students through taxes. Not long after schools started asking for fees, poor families began struggling to send their children to school. Education is seen as an eye-opener, economic booster, and the key to life betterment; that’s why many African parents have continued to pay for their children’s education. A 1986 study found that in 33 out of 63 developing countries, the poorest 40% of families would have to spend over 10% of their yearly income to send two children from kindergarten to eighth grade in public schools. School fees greatly affected poor families in the 1980s. However, school fees in Africa today are still too high for many families to afford. Many children in Africa are not getting the education they need. For example, one out of five children between the ages of five and 15 are out of school in Africa. When fees are canceled, African schools see a huge increase in enrollment from kindergarten to eighth grade. For example, Kenya canceled primary school fees in 2003, and as a result, enrollment rose by two million in that year alone. Can you imagine that? This shows that African kids want to go to school, but they need help in paying for their school fees.

The education problem caused by school fees in Africa is a complicated issue that does not have a single, clear solution. It is a pressing issue that affects children across all of Africa. Knowing some key facts about the situation is important. I want to help in opening up educational opportunities to poor children all over the world . I know my knowledge is key to making changes in the world especially with the COVID-19 hitting every country.

Covid-19 disrupted education for more than 1.5 billion learners and forced students to abandon formal education, many of whom might not return. Most of the world switched immediately to online learning and were provided with educational opportunities at home. Most students in Africa  however, did not share the same privilege. After Covid-19 , 80% of children In rural areas in Africa  are finding it difficult to go back to School due to  poverty .

Education should help people discover, develop, and deploy their unique aptitudes and gifts. However, millions of learners in west part of Africa  experience the opposite, a one-size-fits-all model that prizes exclusivity and standardization over meeting individual needs. Every person is unique and deserves a learning experience that empowers them to achieve success—however they define it.

My mom told me her parents have to pay for her and her siblings to attend public school in Africa. I thought it was a joke, until I saw African news with my mom, guess what I found out, some kids at the traffic light selling fruits to make money and help the family. WHAT?? I screamed. We are so lucky to be born in a western country where we have the right to go to school without paying. Even some western countries pay their children to go to school.

Do you know that if we educate children all over the world, the world will be a better place? Ask me how and I will explain.

(1) Education – This is the backbone of every developing nation. Children build self-love and self-confidence through education. This enables them to develop new ideas, learn about their surroundings and the planet in general. They will grow up to be a doctor, a nurse, an engineer, or even a business owner like me. They can have a professional job and live a good life.

(2) World Peace – Every developing nation needs peace to be successful. Without education, peace can’t be achieved. When we educate children, there will be lesser crimes in the community.

(3) Creating Jobs – The skills and ideas they learned and developed in school for years can help children develop innovative ideas, which can create job opportunities.

(4) Global Prosperity – Success is achieved when children take over the workforce with their skills, ideas, and zeal to make their country great.

Educated children will be physically, mentally, and socially balanced.

(5) Poverty Reduction – Educated children will grow up to give back to society—not to take from it. They will pay their taxes, have businesses, and create work opportunities for their countries. They will give back to their local communities. Educated children will get jobs, and they won’t be dependent on their parents or the government anymore.

I became a CEO and founder of my fashion, clothing, hair, beauty, and device brands at the age of six. With the help of my mother, Young Mogul Speakers Academy, my team, and my family members, my business is doing so great that I’m looking at an empire in a couple of years.

Open Door Initiatives has helped 1000 children to go and stay in school in Nigeria by paying their school fees. Open Door Initiatives is working with Ag Eunice International Foundation in Nigeria to ensure that kids from poor families get the help they need to go to school. I have passion for what I’m doing; because I know that if we help them now, we will have a peaceful and war-free world.

Now, this is what I want you to know. While uneducated children bring war, disorder, and unhappiness, educated and healthy children bring peace and positive ideas on how to make the world a better place. Join me in making the world a better place for all of us.

Now, I challenge you to help children all over the world  who do not have money to be educated and receive medical care. By helping them, they can be who they want to be in life and not let them die with their unfulfilled dreams. I promise that you will be happy that you did. Why I chose to help African children go to school is because their economic situation is depriving them of a good education, which will affect their character, their life, and the whole world. Giving African children a good education will make them become physically, mentally, and socially balanced.

I am proud of my work! I know that you can do the same thing, too. Go out there and help children in need, especially with their educational and medical support needs. Go out there and spread the news that can change the world. Let’s rule the world. This is our world, and we have to build it the way we want it to be. Now is the time to make a change.

I am Princess Paris Ndu, (Miss Texas Jr Preteen ) the CEO/Founder  of Open Door Initiatives. Thank you!

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