Education

 In 2007, 11% of Latvian families were too poor to send their families to School₍₁₎. Since then the economy has come close to collapse, plunging thousands of other families into poverty.

The number of schools closing due to a lack of funding from the government is substantial. As a result pupils are being forced to travel further, and are receiving less teaching time.

Many of the families we work alongside do not have enough money to pay for school equipment, clothes or the cost of travel to the local school. This becomes an issue because if pupils do not complete school to grade 9 standard, then it becomes difficult to find even un-skilled work.

One area of education that is receiving funding is the university sector. The European Union is ploughing money into maths and science degrees₍₂₎ as these are areas that are indentified as shortages in Latvia. Many of the children we work with excel in these areas, but are financially unable to make it through the necessary years of school.

_{References:
(1) World Bank Report
(2) European Union Social Funds}