World Education (Boston, MA) is a charity, founded in 1951, which last year, with local partners, helped nearly 700,000 people in 31 countries improve their lives by linking literacy and basic education with health, economic, social and civic development.

Voices for Vulnerable Children is a World Education campaign to challenge high school and college students to raise awareness and money to improve the lives of vulnerable children in developing countries. The campaign reaches out to students through Facebook and MySpace networks.

Projects focus on such issues as maternal and child health, environmental education, community development, school governance, literacy, HIV/AIDS education and care, refugee training, and help for small businesses. World Education also works to strengthen literacy and adult basic education in the United States.

Below are some snapshots of World Education projects around the world:

West Africa - More than 38,000 girls in 12 countries who are disadvantaged, disabled or HIV-affected are going to school through the Ambassadors’ Girls’ Scholarship Program.

Nepal - More than 100,000 vulnerable children have received basic education and practical skills that will reduce their vulnerability to child labor, and nearly 20,000 children have been withdrawn from dangerous child labor situations.

Cambodia - Programs within and outside of schools are used to help children understand the dangers of child trafficking and exploitation.

Guinea - Nearly 10,000 women in 260 literacy centers have developed reading, writing, and math skills, as well as learning about family health.

Senegal - 8,000 people have received information about HIV prevention and treatment, condoms have been distributed through market kiosks, and 780 women have taken out loans to invest in small businesses.

Benin - Working in 100 communities, World Education and its partners helped about 6,000 formerly victimized and at-risk children stay in school.

Laos - It is estimated from 1964 to 1973 more than 2,000,000 tons of unexploded bombs and ammunition that have not detonated were dropped in Laos. During the 2006-07 school year, 4,400 teachers in over 1,400 schools reached 135,000 children on lessons about injury prevention due to unexploded bombs and ammunition.

South Africa - The Ntinga project has distributed more than $7.9 million in microcredit loans to 175,000 small business owners, 45% of whom are women.

Information on donating, working with World Education, and other program details can be found on their website.