CHRISTEL HOUSE WORKS Helping Children Break the Cycle of Poverty A Christel House Value Proposition May 2019 Value Proposition The mission of Christel House is to break the cycle of poverty around the world. Christel House schools invest in the lives of impoverished children utilizing research-based best practices with a focus on holistic human development, offering students pathways to becoming self-sufficient, contributing members of society and changing the lives of generations to come. The Devastating Effects of Poverty Worldwide, children trapped in poverty are denied the opportunity to gain an education that would position them to change their circumstances. Their schools are under-resourced, their teachers are absent and/or untrained, and learning targets lack rigor. Rather than encouraging completion of an education, parents rely on kids to start working at a young age to help support the family. Hunger and disease (often easily treated with proper medical attention) thwart the educational and professional aspirations of these children. They are trapped in the cycle of poverty. Whole cities and countries suffer as their human potential goes unrealized. Research demonstrates that equitable and quality education can increase a country’s gross domestic product per capita by 23% over a few decades.1 The Christel House Model Christel House International is a public charity founded in 1998. Seven human development centers in India, Mexico, South Africa, and the United States currently serve over 5,000 impoverished students (Figure 1). Christel Houses in the United States are public charter schools, and differ in some respects from the international model, but conform wherever possible. Christel House strives to transform the lives of these children, helping them to realize their hopes and dreams and become self-sufficient, contributing members of society. Christel House uses a holistic model of human development (Figure 2). Along with rigorous academics, students receive free health services such as annual physicals, vision checks and glasses as needed, hearing evaluations, dental cleanings, vaccinations, and mental health services. Breakfast, lunch and a snack that meet nutritional guidelines of each country are provided daily. These services contribute to student success, as it has been well-established by the research community that healthy, properly-nourished young children are more likely to reach their fullest physical, cognitive and socio-emotional potential.2 Such in-school programs for impoverished children have proven effective in increasing attendance, decreasing tardiness, and improving academic performance and cognitive functioning.3
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