Child Beggar Who Asked for Pencil Inspires Man to Build 206 Schools

From VOA Learning English, this is the Education Report.

Adam Braun established the organization Pencils of Promise in 2008. Its goal is to make sure all children have a chance for education. Six years later, the non-profit group is building a new school somewhere every 90 hours. It has helped more than 22,000 children in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

It all started when Adam Braun was a college student. He was visiting India when a boy stopped him on the street, the boy asked for money. Mr. Braun asked the boy what he would want, if he could have anything in the world.

"I thought the answer was going to be 'a house' or 'a car' or 'a boat'. His answer was 'a pencil'. So I gave him my pencil and he just lit up with joy. I realized he never had been to school before, and that was the reality for 57 million children around the world," Braun said.

Adam Braun started working in finance after he graduated from college. But he never forgot the boy and the problem he represented.

"We live in a world in which every single child can have access to quality education, because we have everything necessary already. We have the capability of educating every child. So I became immensely committed to helping create that world," Braun said

Mr. Braun raised money for his project by using social media. He paid for building the first Pencils of Promise school, in Laos, five years ago. Since then, his group has helped pay for more than 200 schools in rural areas of Laos, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Ghana.

He says, his organization works closely with the local education agencies. He says the officials organize the main program of studies. But he says his group provides additional learning materials about health and water and waste systems. Pencils of Promise also works closely with communities.

Leslie Engle Young is another Pencils of Promise employee. She says local people are willing to combine efforts and resources for children's education.

"We started saying 'OK, how can we get your 20 percent? What part of the labor can you do? What materials do you have that you can contribute to the project?' And through this really organic conversation, we start building a true partnership with these people," Young said.

Such support helped Adam Braun decide to expand his organization's work beyond the elementary school level. Pencils of Promise developed financial plans to help students continue on to secondary school and teacher training.

"We are really rigorous about making sure that the programs are not just beautiful photos and videos of kids, but that we're actually seeing incredible results in the classroom. And if we're not seeing results, then we need to change our programs. That's why our kids in Pencils of Promise schools progress from one grade to the next at two times the national average," Braun said.

And that's the VOA Learning English Education Report. For more education stories, go to our website tingvoa.com. I'm Christopher Cruise.

词汇解析

bacteria

pinlv: hanyin:

英汉解释

n.(复数)细菌

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

It is possible to multiply bacteria and other living organisms in the laboratory.

在实验室能够繁殖细菌和其他生物。

rural

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

adj.农村的，乡村的，田园的

参考例句

用作形容词 (adj.)

The rural scenery was so beautiful that he decided to stay one more week.

乡村风光太美了，以致于他决定再多呆一星期。

In rural Nepal, owning a book is something many women and children only dream about.

在尼泊尔的乡下,拥有一本书是许多妇女儿童只能梦想的事情。

additional

pinlv: hanyin:

英汉解释

adj.附加的;额外的

参考例句

用作形容词 (adj.)

You should know the additional responsibilities that are incidental to the job.

你该知道做这项工作要承担额外责任。

We are willing to pay an additional fee for immediate delivery .

我们愿意为即期交货支付一笔额外的费用。

combine

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

v.联合;使结合;结合

n.集团;联合收割机;联合企业

参考例句

用作动词 (v.)

Two parties will combine to defeat the third.

两党派将联合以击败第三党。

用作名词 (n.)

The newspaper combine threatened all the smaller papers.

这家报刊集团威胁者小报社的生存。

contribute

难度：3星常用词汇，属常用6000词

英汉解释

vt.捐助;投稿

vi.投稿;贡献;是原因之一

参考例句

用作及物动词 (vt.)

She asked him to contribute a biweekly article on European affairs.

她让他每两周写一篇有关欧洲情况的文章。

用作不及物动词 (vi.)

The first is to cut back on treats and snacks. These are generally high in calories and may contribute to weight gain.

首先,就是减少小零食。这些零食一般都含有很高的热量,很容易引起狗狗的发胖;

expand

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

v.使 ... 膨胀;详述;扩张;增加;张开

参考例句

用作动词 (v.)

Metals expand when they are heated.

金属遇热则膨胀。

elementary

难度：3星常用词汇，属常用6000词

英汉解释

adj.基本的;初级的;元素的

参考例句

用作形容词 (adj.)

He is ignorant of even the most elementary facts.

他连最基本的事实都不知道。

This elementary school is affiliated to a university.

这所小学附属于一所大学。

secondary

难度：3星常用词汇，属常用6000词

英汉解释

adj.次要的;从属的;中等教育的

n.副手;次要位置

参考例句

用作形容词 (adj.)

Our aim is that all children complete secondary education.

我们的宗旨是让所有孩子完成中等教育。

用作名词 (n.)

They put the growth of worker salary in secondary.

他们把工人的薪水增长放在次要位置。