Empowering ALL the world ‘s young people through 
‘I CAN’  Beliefs, Real-world Projects, Applied Uniqueness, & Tech Symbiosis

The

2 Billion

Kids

Project

The

2 Billion

Kids

Project

A coalition of people and organizations

To truly empower ALL two billion kids in the world in their new environment of the 21st century…

It’s time to go beyond “Education”…

“Education” no longer delivers what our two billion kids need.
All over the world, the cries for education reform are growing louder.
Reforming “education,” will not get us where we want to go, because the world now needs something new.
We are victims of our own success.: The entire world now has a very fixed idea of what an “education” is, Because so many received one.  We will not change that idea meaningfully by trying to fix or shift it incrementally. 
We need to move past it, understanding it is outmoded for our kids’ future (leaving some of the old in place, perhaps, for those who still demand it.)
We need new ends for kids and new and different language to describe those ends.
 

…to Empowerment, Accomplishment & Impact.

Today, the words “education,” “learning,” and “achievement” all stand in our way.
Nelson Mandela’s 20th century cry that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”  is now outdated thinking.
Like horses for transportation, we need to think of “education,” “learning,” and “achievement” as old concepts, left over from the 20th century and before. They were OK for their times, but are no longer as useful.  
Ironically, in the 21st century, the more we pursue education, learning and achievement, the worse off we will be — because “educated people” in the 20th century sense, is not what we need.
Empowerment – Accomplishment-  Impact

We want to empower our kids . . .

Pre-structured education in a classroom benefits a relative few, and only personally.
Everyone needs, and benefits from, empowerment….and so does the world.
We must bring up our kids to understand that when they see a problem—or see something that is not right in their world—they can not only figure out why it is is wrong, but imagine a solution, join or build a team, and fix it.
We need to show adults that they can empower kids in this new way, and not just tell kids what we think they should know or do.

. . . to become good, effective, world-improving people…

We don’t need as many people who are “educated” in the old academic sense (although we do need some academic researchers.)
What we really need is billions of good, effective people who do things that improve their world.
We must tell our kids their goal is not to “be educated” but to become “good effective world-improving people who can get things done.”
We need to show adults how to help kids do this.

…who accomplish positive world-improving things.

The best way to empower kids to get thngs done and become good, effective world-improving people is through accomplishment of real-world projects.
Completing real-world projects lets kids understand not just that they CAN get things donebut HOW to get things done.
This understanding comes from doing real, world-impacting projects over and over, hundreds of times, as the means of becoming.  We need to help adults guide each kid in the directions of finding projects meaningful to them, and getting those projects done successfully.
The metric for these projects–Measurable Positive Impact (MPI)–is far more meaningful than any grades, degrees, or competencies.
All kids should grow up building a resume of real-world accomplishments.

We want kids to have powerful beliefs about themselves 

Our first message to kids is about their own power.
Our first “product,” is this free, online book.. You can read it here by clicking below. We plan to produce  many more products, with different formats, texts, languages and graphics.

Our products will be both online and off-line. They will be aimed at kids of all ages and backgrounds, in all languages. Many will be created by kids!
There will also be actions, contests, and partnerships with organizations for kids.

We know kids have already accomplished thousands of world-improving projects

Another free product is this live, working, selection of world-improving projects that kids of all ages all over the world have accomplished. It is intended to inspire kids to create and do new ones.
You can scroll though the list of completed projects to see what kids have already done to Better Their World.
Click on any project to see details, including for many, a video.
You can search for any word, and also add “filters” to see only projets from a single place, or age range, etc. Click “Add Filters” in upper right to apply conditions to the list.
You can also navigate using the buttons at the bottom .

These are our goals for 2 Billion Kids

Empowering

When any of the two billion kids sees a problem, we want them to begin fixing it—by joining or building teams and taking action.

Becoming

We want all two billion kids to become not just “educated” in the 20th century sense of knowing stuff, but “good, effective, people who improve ther world.”

Accomplishing

We want to no longer deprive kids of their power to accomplish in the real world—at any age—by insisting on “education,” as a pre-requisite.  Kids can do things now!

Impact

 Kids’ having a positive impact on their world is our ultimate goal. No one but each kid benefits from what he or she “achieves,” but we all benefit from what kids accomplish!

So why not just “Change Education”?

We can’t. It’s impossible. Thousands have tried, and failed (or succeeded only in tiny measure) and left frustrated.
Too many are invested in its continuance. Too many make good money (or their living) from it.  Parents still think kids need it.
The world’s education systems have built up very strong antibodies for self-protection.
Reforming “education,” will not get us where we want to go, because the world now needs something new.
We are victims of our own success. The entire world already has a very fixed idea of what an “education” is, because so many went through it. We will not change that idea meaningfully by trying to fix or shift it incrementally. 
We want to move past “education” as the world now knows it.  We support an alternative, more empowering system for kids growing upone that is now emerging in the world  in many forms.
(We can leave the old in place, perhaps, for those who still demand it).
MANY ARE ALREADY CREATING A MORE EMPOWERING ALTERNATIVE TO “EDUCATION.”
OUR JOB IS TO CONNECT THEM AND AMPLIFY THEIR WORK.
 

 

Sub-Projects

Partner Organizations

The Two Billion Kids Project’s aim is to include as many  organizations as possible  who are moving in this new direction of empowering, (and not just educating) young people.
As each group continues its work under its own brand, we want to be the “umbrella” or “meta” organization, supporting and promoting the entire alternative “Empowering Kids for the Future” movement for all 2 billion kids..

Supporting Individuals

The following individuals aupport the work of empowering the world’s 2 billion kids:

Kiran bir Sethi

Lars Lin Villebaek

Justiyna Pietrzak

Diana Bernal

Monica Canton de Celis

Wayne Sharp

David Engle

Esther Wojcicki

Potential Future Partners

The Two Billion Kids Project’s aim is to include as many organizations as possible who are moving in this new direction. of empowering kids to accomplish.  Please let us know if you would like to organization to be included.
As each group continues its work under its own brand, we want to be the “umbrella” or “meta” organization, supporting and promoting the entire alternative “Empowering Kids for the Future” movement for all 2 billion kids..
For more Information, please contact marcprensky@gmail.com
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