“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”
 ―  W. B. Yeats

On the way to defeating poverty, education is a powerful tool. It nurtures people from all walks of life irrespective of race, creed, and gender, enabling all who long for self-improvement to grow into a stronger, wiser, and more capable self. It inspires one to explore, to find the meaning behind everything, and to use their knowledge in meaningful ways that bring on significant changes.

The students you’re going to read about have all walked down a long and winding road to pursue their education. And crafts have helped to make it possible. In this issue, we visit education centers that are outside of formal school systems in three countries, learn about indigenous architecture, tour tropical rainforests, listen to the dreams of village girls, and witness the beautiful roles that traditional crafts have played to achieve all these.