SEATTLE, Washington — Trevor Noah is best known for his work as the host of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show.” He is also the bestselling author to “Born A Crime,” a book about his upbringing during apartheid in Johannesburg, South Africa. Noah’s intelligence and thirst for knowledge led him to become one of the most successful individuals out of South Africa. This is why Trevor Noah is aiding South Africa through the Trevor Noah Foundation.
The Trevor Noah Foundation
The Trevor Noah Foundation was created by Noah himself in April of 2018. His goal is to help aid South Africa with education. Based in Johannesburg, the organization gives orphans and poor children the help they need in order to improve their education and gain life skills. This enables them to pursue more opportunities after they graduate.
Trevor Noah decided to aid South Africa through this foundation because of his passion for education while he was in school. Noah was inspired by his mother, whom he credits with teaching him to think. He hoped he could do the same with the children in South Africa today.
Education Issues in South Africa
In 2016, the South African government spent more money on education than the United States and the United Kingdom. It spent 15 percent of the total budget on basic education, which would round out to $145 billion. Despite that, it still ranked as one of the worst places in education. The government focused on building more schools rather than improving education in current schools, which may be why no progress has been made.
Literacy in South Africa has been a problem. At least 27 percent cannot read despite the fact that they attended school for six years. Another issue South Africa faced in education was teacher-related. Unqualified teachers are one of the top reasons why education in schools was an issue. In 2013, 60 percent of math teachers couldn’t pass a math test they were given from a 1st to 6th-grade level. In fact, most teachers scored an average of 37 percent.
Trevor Noah Is Aiding South Africa
With education being a cause for concern in South Africa, Trevor Noah and his foundation have stepped up to the plate. The organization has invested in improving psycho-social support. Psycho-social support outlines the eight stages that a healthy person should pass through from infancy to adulthood. The organization has also invested in skills development and career guidance.
The Trevor Noah Foundation has partnered with schools to research innovative ways to improve education and mobilize philanthropic capital. Trevor Noah wants to see a 100 percent transition rate from grade 12 students into a university. He uses his various platforms to raise money and awareness of the need for education in South Africa. In 2018, he raised more than $275,000 through one fundraiser.
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