Davis & Associates Communications Blog

The controversy surrounding the California budget cuts has been front-page news for quite some time, especially the steep cuts that our education system is facing as a result. With the future of our education in a fragile state, I became curious about the present system here in San Francisco.

It is undeniable that the quality of education a child receives is directly correlated to their surrounding environment; with this in mind I took a look at standardized test results from third graders from six public elementary schools – each from a different neighborhood in San Francisco. I also researched the demographics of each neighborhood.

The disparities between individual neighborhoods is shocking in itself, but it should come as no surprise that the communities with higher median household income numbers produce higher education levels and higher test scores. Unfortunately, the amount of funding a school receives is a direct result of its students standardized test scores. This policy undoubtedly creates an uneven playing field in today’s education system where income and demographics are so intertwined with a child’s scholastic achievement.

This chart was created with statistics and information gathered from the  California Department of Education 2010 STAR Testing Results and the San Francisco Neighborhoods Socio-Economic Profiles. You may click on the chart to view it in full screen.

Jewelry available through 31 Bits.

Note: This is the first in a series dedicated to non-profit organizations that empower workers in rural and third-world countries through work sponsorship and selling goods.

We have all heard the proverb, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Many organizations are doing just that for impoverished, exploited and displaced women in Africa; they are not just giving them humanitarian aid, they are giving them a new life.

In the next few weeks I will be highlighting companies and organizations founded by young Americans who witnessed first hand the devastating impact of the ongoing, catastrophic wars traveling throughout East Africa. Each company has found unique ways to empower the powerless by providing them with self-sustaining skills rather than handouts.

31 Bits

31 Bits uses fashion and design to empower the women of Gulu, Uganda to rise above poverty. The organization currently works with 63 women who create handmade jewelry using 100 percent recycled paper and other local materials; 31 Bits purchases jewelry from each woman on a monthly basis and sells the designs in the international market. All profits are used to continue purchasing jewelry, as well as provide the women with numerous development programs including: English lessons, finance training, AIDS and health education, community groups and vocational training. As they gain these skills, the women are better equipped to develop a career and attain social equity on a local level. 31 Bits products are priced from $10-54 and are sold nationwide and online. 31 Bits also teamed up with Reef to create a line of sandals incorporating the paper jewelry. “Ugandals” are available in stores and online.