While provisions of food, shelter, and healthcare are all necessary for alleviating poverty in the developing world, the most sustainable way to help a community improve its standard of life in the long run is to provide education for its residents. Educated people are more aware of health issues, they farm more effectively, and they can begin to help others around them. For these reasons we here at List25 have decided to collaborate with Pencils of Promise, a non-profit organization that works to build schools in isolated and poverty stricken communities around the world. We want to help them change the lives of a generation. And here's the cool part...we're inviting you, our readers, to help! Our goals is to raise $25,000. For this amount we can build, staff, and maintain a school. If you are willing to help us change the world, then you can come find out more and partner with us:

http://fundraise.pencilsofpromise.org/list25

We appreciate your support and believe that together we can make a tangible impact in the lives of the next generation. These are 25 compelling reasons why education is important.

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Today, about 61 million primary school aged children are out of school

About 40 million of these children live in poor, conflict afflicted countries.

An estimated 250 million children cannot read, write, or count well

Education can save lives. A child born to a mother who can read is 50% more likely to live past age 5

Every additional year of maternal education reduces the child mortality rate by 2 percent

Education can help bridge the gender gap. As of today women constitute two thirds of the world's illiterate population

Education often leads to better decisions. Women in Mali with even a little bit of education have an average of 3 children while those with no education have an average of 7

Benefits of girls' education also correlate with fewer instances of HIV/AIDS, less genital cutting, and better overall health

For girls in poor countries every additional year of education past grade three leads to 20% higher wages

Educated mothers are more than 50% more likely to immunize their kids

Women with 5 or more years of education are more likely to seek prenatal care and assisted child birth which contributes to higher levels of maternal and child healthcare

According to USAID, more education for girls is one of the best ways to fight hunger. It even outperforms temporarily increasing the food supply.

According to the International Food Policy Research Institute 40% of the decrease in malnutrition between 1970 and 1995 was the result of better farming practices stemming from increased education

If women farmers had the same level of education as male farmers the UN estimates that crop production in Kenya could rise by over 20%

If every child in the world received a primary education then in the next decade an estimated 7 million cases of HIV could be avoided

Studies show that rural Ugandans with a secondary education have a 75% lower rate of HIV than those without education

The ability of girls to avoid HIV when educated is so well documented that education has come to be known as the "social vaccine"

Education is a prerequisite for long term economic growth. No country in history has every achieved sustained economic growth without at least 40% of its adult population being literate

By not offering girls the same educational opportunities as boys developing countries lose on average $90 billion per year

For every year of additional education a person's average earnings increase by 10%

This translates to an 1% annual increase in GDP if quality education is offered to everyone

Education promotes peace. Every year that a male is educated contributes to a 20% smaller likelihood of him engaging in violent activity

Education is a crucial building block for an inclusive, democratic society.

Education helps break the cycle of poverty and promotes sustainable development in emerging nations

Education is one of the most effective ways to improve quality of life in the developing world.