Challenge
The International Open University (IOU) seeks to provide 1 million scholarships to impoverished and disenfranchised youths, who are currently being drawn into extremist groups like Boko Haram, Shabaab, Taliban, ISIS and Abu Sayyaaf. By offering an education to both males and females, IOU can uplift them to create a tangible and positive change in the continent as well as in the course of world history.
Status
At the beginning of 2012, the world population surpassed 7 billion, with 1.1 billion people living in Africa. Countries in sub-Saharan Africa have the youngest proportion of population in the world, with over 70% of the region’s population aged below 30. (Source: The World’s Youngest Populations, 2012) Today, only 6% of sub-Saharan youth are enrolled in higher educational institutions compared to the global average of 26%.
Project
The 1 Million Scholarships Project will provide students from English Speaking African countries with a 4-year Bachelor’s degree. These countries include Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.