Education Cannot Wait fund helps children in seven more crisis-hit countries

Barriers to education, Children in conflicts, Children's welfare after natural disasters, Education Cannot Wait, Education funding, Education in emergencies, Girls' education, Refugees and internally displaced people, Safe schools, Safe Schools Declaration

A $20 million investment will deliver education and support in Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Madagascar, Peru, Uganda, Ukraine and Somalia.


Children caught up in humanitarian emergencies in seven countries will benefit from a $20 million investment from the Education Cannot Wait fund.

The money will deliver quality learning, teacher training, psychosocial support and new school facilities in Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Madagascar, Peru, Uganda, Ukraine and Somalia.

Peru and Madagascar have been hit by extreme storm and flood damage, while Uganda is hosting almost one million refugees. The other countries are affected by ongoing conflicts.

The fund – launched last year to money quickly to countries hit by conflicts, natural disaster and health crises – is already helping two million vulnerable children in Chad, Ethiopia, Syria and Yemen, over half of them girls.

The $20 million investment marks the launch of “First Response Window” – a way of funding immediate education needs, either at the onset or escalation of a crisis. 

Education Cannot Wait said: “This mechanism funds a range of partners and activities on the ground for 12 months and serves as a catalyst for improved coordination and education response plans.”

More than 75 million children and young people aged three are 18 are out of school in 35 crisis-affected countries. 

The ECW High Level Steering Group met during last week’s Spring Meetings in Washington, DC, and welcomed Annemiek Hoogenboom of Novamedia as the first business representative to join the fund.


A passionate advocate for education, she is Managing Director of the Deutsche Postcode Lotterie and Country Director of the People’s Postcode Lottery, where she has pioneered a sustainable approach to philanthropy that has seen more $8.5 billion raised. 

The new Director Designate of Education Cannot Wait is Yasmine Sherif, who brings over 25 years of professional experience in international, humanitarian and refugee law to the role.


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