Sreyrath, the head Children’s Future Education Advocate, makes our organization unique. Since Children’s Future created the ‘Education Advocate’ program with Sreyrath’s leadership, the rate of student dropout has decreased about 67% on average per year. Students who would otherwise be vulnerable to trafficking and endemic poverty are excelling in their education with support from Sreyrath and Children’s Future.

The majority of students with whom Children’s Future works are on the brink of dropping out of school due to extreme economic struggle, pressure from their family to go to work or help take care of their siblings, lack of support, or even abuse from teachers in public school. Since our students are in such vulnerable situations, absence from school is many times symptomatic of more serious issues such as a problem at home or a behavioral issue. These complex problems require sophisticated solutions that address the specific needs of each student.

The Education Advocate aims to create such solutions. By keeping in close contact with over 14 public and private schools, and 4 universities, Sreyrath tracks the attendance and performance of 230 students. Every time a student is absent she immediately follows up with that student to understand what caused their absence. Sreyrath then works together with the student and Children’s Future teachers, social workers, and healthcare specialists to develop and implement a plan to get that student back into school regularly.

Sreyrath’s work is as much preventative as it is reactive. By addressing the root of the student’s problem, by looking at each aspect of that child’s life, Sreyrath and her team help the student not only get back into school, but stay there as well. Further, through such close attention to every student, she can alert social workers to students who are at risk so that problems are addressed preemptively.

Comprehensive programs, like the Education Advocate Program, are characteristic of the Children’s Future model. Our holistic approach to student success incorporates not only student’s academic success but also their total mental and physical wellbeing. For this reason, Sreyrath works with other teams to make sure all aspects of the student’s life are in good order. By addressing the complex needs of each individual student, Children’s Future builds trust while creating a positive and lasting impact on that student’s development.

Sreyrath has two dreams for the Education Advocate Program and for our students: That Children’s Future can create mutually supportive relationships with every school that we work with, and secondly, for our students to be confident to solve problems with teachers, to stand up for themselves, and to productively engage with their peers.