Today, 72 million children around the world are denied the opportunity to go to school.

These children could be the next generation's leaders, sport stars, doctors and teachers. But without an education they are confined to a life of poverty. They’re ready to do their homework - but school fees, conflict, working in factories and farms, losing their parents to sickness, the cost of a school uniform or sometimes simply being a girl keeps them from being able to attend school.  Whatever their background - orphans, refugees, poor, disabled, child soldiers, child labourers, from disadvantaged backgrounds – the result is the same – denied the chance to learn they will never be able to fulfil their potential.

Education beats Poverty – and enables people to help themselves. Education is key to breaking the cycle of poverty for families, communities and whole countries.

1. •It leads to economic growth, democracy and a more stable future.
   

1. •Education is the best tool we have for tackling poverty, and it is the one investment that ultimately pays for itself: When a child gets educated, they will eventually earn more and be better able to support their family.
   

1. •A child who goes to school will earn an extra 10% for every year of schooling they receive and be 50% less likely to become infected with HIV/AIDS if the complete Primary School.
   

1. •Education For All is urgently needed if we are to tackle poverty, ill health and hunger.  An education can offer hope and a future to children in the developing world who desperately deserve a chance in life.
   

“I am Sofia from Tanzania. I am 13 years old.

I would really like to go to school one day and be like the other girls in their school uniforms. I know if I go to school, one day I will be able to help my family, as I will get a good job that pays well.

I used to spend my days herding cattle and goats for my father but most of them died because of the drought. Right now my father is very sick and they have taken him to a distant hospital for treatment - I wish I could do something to help him.

These days, I help my mother selling fruits at market as well as doing my chores at home. And, when my mother gets sick, I have to go to the market alone as we need that money to buy food and other necessities.”

“This is me, Pedro. I live in a refugee camp called El Triunfo in Guatemala. I was born here. Until a few years ago people were fighting a very long, very bloody war in my country. At that time, life where my parents used to live was very dangerous and my parents had to leave their village and come here to the camp to find safety. They tell me that after they left the village, their house, the school and the whole village were destroyed.

Although the camp is not like a village, we are doing our best to make it a good place to live in. In the mornings, I help my mother to make the tortilla and then go with my father to look after the animals. The best thing is that in the afternoons I go to school. For a long time there was no school here, but now I go every day. This is very important to me because I want to be a doctor when I grow up, so that I can look after people where we live.”

Why Join 1GOAL?

i) Education beats poverty but 72 million children across the world are still not in school

ii) World Leaders can change this and are coming together around the FIFA World Cup in 2010

iii) Join 1GOAL and ask world leaders to achieve a lasting legacy of education to everyone

What is 1GOAL?

1GOAL is a new campaign for the 2010 FIFA World Cup to ensure that every child worldwide has the opportunity to go to school and learn. 1GOAL is collecting names and support from the public, footballers and celebrities to make a united plea to all governments to meet their target on 'Education for All'.

What is 'Education for All'?

'Education for All' is the international commitment that world leaders have signed up to - to provide a good quality public education to all children and adults by 2015.  The commitment includes prioritising those who are currently missing out on an education, getting them into school, and making sure when they're in school they get the chance to learn, with qualified teachers.  They goals include giving adults who missed out on school, the chance to learn to read and write.  Find out more on the UNESCO website.

When I join 1GOAL where does my name go?

By joining 1GOAL you join the 1GOAL petition of people who want to make sure everyone gets an education.  1GOAL will deliver the millions of names to governments ahead of the next UN meeting on 'Millennium Development Goals' in September 2010, asking them to ensure that the education goals are met by the 2015 deadline.

We will also send you emails from 1GOAL, unless you don't want them, about all the exciting things happening in the campaign, in the run up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Why the FIFA 2010 World Cup?

The 2010 FIFA World Cup is the world's biggest single sporting event.  With over half the world watching, it is a time when millions come together to share the passion of football, and for the first time ever it is being hosted in South Africa. These unique circumstances are ideal for focussing international attention on the need for education in developing nations and across the globe.

What will be done to support these efforts and see it through after the 2010 FIFA World Cup?

The 1GOAL campaign is run by an established international coalition, the Global Campaign for Education (GCE).  After the World Cup, GCE and its member national coalitions will continue to ensure that the progress made by 1GOAL is built upon, to make sure that everyone has an education by 2015.  Visit the GCE website.

How can I help 1GOAL?

1. It's simple, just join 1GOAL by filling in the petition found anywhere on this website such as the one found at the top of this very page. If you agree to us sending you emails, we'll let you know what's happening at 1GOAL, and send you information about what you can do to encourage leaders.

2. Ask your friends and colleagues to join 1GOAL

3. Become a fan of 1GOAL on Facebook page

4. Tweet about 1GOAL. Follow our Twitter Feed and tweet using the #1GOAL.  You're comment will then appear on the 1GOAL international website here

How do I get my class or school involved in 1GOAL?

The best way to get your class or school involved in 1GOAL is by taking part in the 1GOAL Lesson.  Join over a million schools that will have carried out the 1GOAL lesson. For more information check out our Get Involved page, or contact us here at info@join1goal.org.au

Can I donate?

No, we're not asking for your money.  Quite simply we're asking you to sign your name for those who can't, so that we can present your name to world leaders.

How did 1GOAL start?

1GOAL is the initiative of the football strand of the Class of 2015: Education for All.   The Class of 2015 was set up at the UN in September 2008 by the Global Campaign for Education to ensure that the Education for All goals are met by 2015.  Class members include FIFA, international charities, celebrities and some governments.  Visit the Class of 2015 website

Who's signed up to 1GOAL?

Every day the 1GOAL team is growing!  Those in the team include Tim Cahill, Vinnie Grella, Sarah Walsh, Zinedine Zidane, Rio Ferdinand, Thierry Henry, Robinho, Michael Essien, Aaron Mokoena, Nwankwo Kanu, Nicolas Anelka, Mikael Silvestre, David James, Kolo Touré, Javier Zanetti, Michael Owen, Mia Hamm, Marcel Desailly, Sir Bobby Charlton, Gary Lineker.

The team continues with many non-footballers including Queen Rania of Jordan, FIFA's President Sepp Blatter, Jessica Alba, Clive Owen, Kevin Spacey, Bono, Bob Geldof and Kelly Rowland and many more.  Other 1GOAL supporters include private companies and international charities. To see all the supporters and partner organisations internationally, check out our Supporters page

Who's missing out on an education?

i) 72 million children are not in school.

ii) 776 million adults cannot read this sentence.

iii) The majority of children denied an education are girls.

Why are 72 million children not in school?

Children are excluded from school for a number of reasons - because of illness, HIV, disability, because they live in an area of conflict, or are discriminated against because of their background.  Millions don't make it to school simply because they are too poor.  Their families can't afford the school fees that some governments still charge, or they are being put to work to support their family either at home, on the farm or in factories.

But we know how to change this.  Since the Global Campaign for Education started, some governments have listened, providing more aid, or free schooling, and more than 40 million children previously without an education now have the chance to go to school.  The world has the resources and capacity to give every child this chance.  But we need every government to make this a reality.  Join 1GOAL and we'll deliver your name to world leaders asking them to ensure everyone goes to school.

Why is education so important?

i) Education reduces the chances of being infected with HIV/AIDS.

ii) A child born to a mother who can read is 50% more likely to survive past the age of five.

iii) One year of schooling can increase a person's earnings by 10%.

Has 1GOAL got a newsletter that I can subscribe to?

Join 1GOAL and you will receive the 1GOAL newsletter once every two weeks.  This online newsletter will keep you posted on what's happening at 1GOAL.  If you don't want to receive the news simply press unsubscribe on the newsletter when you receive it.

Can I interview a 1GOAL spokesperson or champion?

Whilst the 1GOAL team is committed to making sure that everyone can go to school, unfortunately we can't respond to every request - but we will try.  Please send your request to info@join1goal.org.au and we'll see what we can do.

How do I contact you with other questions?

If we haven't answered your questions here please drop us a short email to info@join1goal.org.au

THANK YOU.  We do need you.  We'll only get everyone in school if millions of people say it's important and ask for change.  Thanks for joining the 1GOAL team, and helping those who don't have an education.  We need you and as many other people as you can help get involved in 1GOAL: Education for All.