Jessica Alba campaigning for education

Apr 22, 2010, 6:01 GMT

Jessica Alba campaigned to US Congressional leaders yesterday (21.04.10) to help aid better standards of education in Africa.

The 'Fantastic Four' recently returned visiting Ghana, Senegal and South Africa with the 1GOAL charity, where she visited schools and football foundations set up to help provide schooling for needy children.

The charity is campaigning for the re-introduction of a global Education for All Act and estimates there are 72 million children worldwide who don't have access to education, 60 per cent of which are in Africa.

Speaking of her trip, Jessica said: "It's tough to think 72 million children don't have access to an education. That's a daunting number and something that's just really hard for me to understand.

"I came to Africa to listen and learn. The individual people have inspired me.

"I travelled to Ghana, Senegal and South Africa with 1GOAL to listen and learn and see for myself the impact of education."

Jessica - who has a 22-month old daughter, Honor Marie, with husband Cash Warren- said one school she visited in Ghana, a soccer academy, struck her because of the huge difference it is making to its pupils.

She added: "Education is the only sustainable method to fighting poverty. This summer, millions will watch South Africa host the World Cup. We're asking people around the world to lend their voice to the 72 million children out of school and call on our world leaders to pledge the funding necessary to achieve education for all."

1GOAL is campaigning for the Education for All Act by asking people to sign a petition on their website at www.join1Goal.org