Kenyan journalist Larry Madowo hosted a global “harambee” in New York that mobilised US$3.5 billion for education, bringing together world leaders, governments, development partners and private-sector organisations during the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
Madowo served as host and moderator of the Multiply Possibility: A New Era for Education Financing event held on Wednesday, September 23, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Reflecting on the event on Thursday, Madowo described the fundraising effort using the distinctly Kenyan concept of a harambee, highlighting the scale of resources mobilised within a short period.
“I hosted an event that raised a modest $3.5 BILLION in 90 minutes at the UN General Assembly in New York!” Madowo wrote.
He added that the money would help finance education in 90 lower-income countries and connected the international campaign to his own family history.
“It will fund education in 90 lower-income countries so that no child is left behind. My mom was a teacher in rural Kenya, so this is personal to me,” he said.
The event formed part of the Multiply Possibility campaign led by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), with Italy and Nigeria serving as co-hosts. The campaign seeks to mobilise financing to strengthen education systems and improve learning opportunities for children and young people in lower-income countries.
The US$3.5 billion announced at the New York gathering comprised different sources of education financing.
According to GPE, US$2.1 billion came through confirmed and anticipated pledges from sovereign donors to the organisation.
A further US$1.4 billion came through co-financing commitments. The package includes US$1 billion from development finance institutions and another US$400 million from philanthropic and private-sector partners.
The commitments are intended to complement GPE grants and help partner countries strengthen their education systems at a time when many governments face pressure on public finances.
GPE said the wider campaign targets more than 90 lower-income countries and could improve education for about 750 million children and young people by 2030 if fully funded.
The financing campaign brought together representatives from governments, development finance institutions, philanthropy, civil society and the private sector.
The event was co-chaired by Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima. Nigerian and Italian education ministers also participated in the gathering.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai addressed the event, while UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed delivered opening remarks.
The CNN journalist said his mother was a teacher in rural Kenya, explaining that her background made the education-focused event particularly meaningful to him.
His mother, Treazer Anyango Madowo, trained as a teacher and worked in primary education.
Treazer died in 2001, when Madowo was still a teenager.
