Poverty is a concealer of Potential. Education lifts the veil on potential and gives a child a future and hope.
The term "Informal Settlement" is a euphemism for 'Squatter Camp", it is the politically correct term and sounds so much better. With a shrug of the shoulder, the two words "informal" and "settlement" are used to forget that 14 million South Africans live in shacks made of tin, wood and plastic, in squalor, with open sewer along the roads and no rubbish collection.
The same tendency to soften the reality that people face, is found in Brazil. Favellas are now called "Communities" - a Euphemism, because it is not politically correct to use the word 'favellas' anymore.
Bring into these "settlements" and "communities" quality and equality in education. Give an underprivileged child the SAME chance to succeed as a wealthy child, and that child will show you his and her true potential.
It is very difficult to fully grasp the impact a quality education has on the life of a child who lives in a tin shack, with no electricity, very little food and where every acquisition is an insurmountable challenge. Walking through these streets to a school with a motivated, qualified teacher, receiving cooked meals and food to take home, being exposed to music tuition, the arts, computer science and access to volunteers from Europe and the Americas, travelling to Europe to sing in a choir... How could we ever put that amazing gift into words that people who take these things for granted, can grasp?