About the Project
This project is one of the 2022 WISE Awards finalists.
Context and Issue
Youth across the economic spectrum are at risk of alienation and disconnection. Low-income and displaced youth are particularly at risk because of limited access to guidance, education, job opportunities, access to technology, and stable social and familial environments.
Our mission is to empower youth impacted by conflict through education and employment. To serve these displaced scholars, we run e-learning programs, crowdfund for higher education, and partner with mentors and institutions who further our beneficiaries’ employment prospects. In addition, we build or invest in technologies that serve our cause. The VIP.fund offers education, mentorship, employment, and networking opportunities.We look for intervention solutions to help youth thrive by funding solutions that
- Foster opportunities for lifetime learning
- Provide employment opportunities
- Employ technology to scale learning experiences
- Introduce critical thinking programs
- Build social connections with a global community
Solution and Impact
Our education and employment platform enables displaced youth by mitigating the negative effects of marginalization and securing their future with sustainable development pathways. We do this by:
- Running informational and community-building digital programs
- Managing a crowdfunding platform to raise funds for higher and continued education
- Guiding students and employment candidates through mentorship and practical experience, preparing them for work in the private sector
- Partnering with private-sector businesses in the U.S. for employment opportunities
Future Developments
The edSeed network connects students with donors and mentors who support their higher education and journey to economic independence. We hope to do even more this year including:
- Growing our donor base
- Launching new students
- Raising money for tuition funding through our donor network
Refugee youth are the gateway to peace in their communities. Education is all they need to prosper. Our edSeed scholars are agents of circularity. We seed their dreams and complete the cycle of generosity as they give back to their peers, their families, their nations, and the global community. There is a huge gap for educational philanthropy to fill, and the agency and social remittances these future leaders represent are a net benefit to the region in an increasingly globalized world and will shape their communities in the years to come.
May 17, 2022 (last update 09-15-2022)