BACKGROUND
Although the world is full of wise people, not everyone starts out on a level playing field. When children spend their daily lives securing water, food, and shelter, or their health is impaired by waterborne diseases and inadequate access to sanitation services, they begin their lives at a disadvantage. Children and young people can help solve many of tomorrow's challenges if they are given a better start in life, with more equitable access to opportunities. We at W Initiative want to contribute to making this happen.
Gustav Magnar Witzøe grew up on a small island on the Trøndelag coast, in a small town where the spirit of hard work and a supportive community were as given as the autumn rain. W Initiative is a continuation of this spirit of service.
The purpose of the W Initiative is to support projects that contribute to achieving the UN's sustainable development goals 3, 4, 5, 6, and 10, projects that contribute to empowerment through education, better health, and more equitable access to opportunities worldwide.
The UN's sustainable development goals constitute a global, joint work plan with the aim of eradicating poverty, combating inequality, and halting climate change by 2030. W Initiative will support projects that contribute to reaching one or more of the following sustainable goals.
Our focus
Sustainable development goal 3 - Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
Sustainable development goal 4 - Ensure inclusive, equitable quality education, and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Sustainable development goal 5 - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
Sustainable development goal 6 - Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
Sustainable development goal 10 - Reduce inequality within and among countries.
THE FUTURE STARTS WITH YOUNG PEOPLE
W Initiative will support projects that aim to help more children attend school and complete the entire educational process. At this moment, 120 million more children attend school than was the case in 1998. School attendance has never been higher. Nevertheless, there are 617 million children and young people in the world who do not meet the minimum proficiency requirements for math and reading.
The reasons are complex. Many children are taken out of school to work and help support their families. Many girls drop out of school when they reach puberty, due to inadequate sanitation services. There is not necessarily a shortage of schools, but there is a shortage of teachers, school supplies, and expertise.
Educating children and young people strengthens society as a whole. It contributes to better health, gender equality, economic growth, and necessary societal development. At the same time, it slows down population growth and provides better conditions for sustainable development and the fight against poverty.