Anchoring the WE Villages model is education–empowering people, particularly children, with the knowledge, skills and confidence to develop their capabilities to the maximum possible extent. Ensuring a child has access to quality education is the best way to set them up for success and break the cycle of poverty.

Children—especially girls—can only attend school if they have access to clean water. Having safe, reliable and nearby water frees girls and women from the daily task of collecting water for their families, and prevents waterborne illnesses that make children sick and unable to go to school. We partner with communities to implement sustainable clean water solutions such as wells and hand pumps.

Children can only attend school when they and their parents are healthy. Clean water is one solution, but families also need access to health care and programs that teach disease prevention and healthy living. We work with communities to implement health initiatives such as hospitals, mobile clinics and vaccination programs.

Children can only attend school if they are well fed. Hungry, malnourished children are at best inattentive, at worst, sick. Made possible by founding partner Nutrien, we work with communities to put in place programs that promote food security and improved agriculture, from school gardens and irrigation projects to establishing local farms. This ensures communities have better access to healthy food and food to sell, which also helps to improve economic outcomes.

Children can only attend school if their parents have the financial means and time to invest in their education and their basic health. We work with families, particularly women, to implement productive resources such as goats and provide relevant training such as financial literacy to generate income and savings on a sustainable basis.