Juma Ventures is an innovative and award-winning youth development program that combines employment in social enterprises, college preparation, and financial asset building to create a safe, supportive community where under-resourced youth can achieve their dreams of a college education.
Our Mission
Juma helps break the cycle of poverty by ensuring that young people complete a four-year college degree.
Putting Our Students—and Their Needs—In Context
It’s a vicious cycle. Children who grow up in poverty are more likely as adults to have low earnings, which increases the likelihood that they will remain poor and, in turn, raise their children in poverty. It’s a cycle that affects more than just the poor trapped inside it. A less productive workforce combined with the high cost of “treating” poverty instead of “curing” it can have a devastating impact on economies and societies alike.
Statistics don’t lie:
- The high school drop-out rate for students with a family income below $20,000 is more than three times that of students with a family income over $50,000.
- In the U.S., 30.6% of non-Hispanic Whites possess at least a baccalaureate degree, in contrast to only 12.1% of Hispanics and 17.6% of African Americans.
- Nationally, individuals who do not possess a high school diploma earn an average of $18,734 annually, compared with $27,915 for those with a high school diploma and $51,206 for those with a bachelors degree.
- Higher education is a proven pathway out of poverty and yet only 47% of low-income youth who graduate from high school enter a university or college (compared to 85% in the top income quartile), and only 20% complete their degree.
The reasons for these sobering statistics are as obvious as they are plentiful. Poor families lack the income or assets to finance college. Many poor students have even poorer grades due to the challenges public schools face in low-income communities. There’s little to no support in place to help students navigate the complex college application process, few role models for higher education attainment, and a general lack of relatable reasons for students to aspire to an education beyond high school.
To make matters more difficult, Juma students face multiple barriers to success in adulthood:
- 18% have been arrested
- 30% have at least one family member in jail
- 20% are foster youth
- 61% are from single-family households
Now for Some Good News
Despite the many challenges facing Juma students, they also possess significant assets. They are resilient, positive and show great determination in the pursuit of their goals, continually demonstrating tremendous promise and success when provided with opportunities to excel. That’s why we’re here: to provide these students with the tools and resources they need to overcome barriers, maximize their personal assets, and successfully transition into a life of higher education and greater success.