Creativity is the spark of life. The ability to use our imagination, take chances, and create things, are some of the critical skills necessary to be a successful entrepreneur, innovator, and change-maker. Many people have these exceptional talents as children, but research has proven that over time, without practice and development, people lose these abilities.
The importance of creativity in our world is undeniable. A well-recognized survey conducted by IBM concludes that 1,500 CEOs from 60 countries and 33 industries pinpointed creativity as the “most crucial factor for future success.”
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development identified in multiple countries “creativity and innovation” as essential for the next generation. The reason for this is that the world is changing at an exponential speed. To survive and thrive on planet earth we will need people who can adapt, problem-solve, and navigate workplaces that are increasingly complex. In short, creativity makes jobs, stimulates economic growth, and provides solutions to societal needs.
Despite creativity being thought of as something that people are born with, creativity can be nurtured and learned. Children's classes that encourage and use creativity and technology in their curriculum more often produce children with better creative problem-solving skills. Creativity can be learned in adults too. In a study done by scientists Pucci, Burnett, Acar, Yudess, Holinger, and Cabra, on creative problem-solving, in groups that have even a small amount of training in creativity tools and principles, they are 350% more ideas than groups without training; these ideas were 415% more original.
Fostering education and access to technology is fundamental to the development of creativity in the world. So many children do not have access to education. Life for Relief and Development believes in facilitating education globally. LIFE makes education accessible all over the world through its numerous education efforts. LIFE’s most recent education projects include funding computer labs in lower-income schools in Bosnia, building extensions on schools in a Syrian refugee camp, building higher education facilities in Syria, funding medical student scholarships in Palestine, and buying children back to school supplies, to name a few. LIFE believes that the future lies in the brilliant creative minds of tomorrow. By investing in children, we invest in our future.
