The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the education of more than one billion children and youth worldwide. Children in humanitarian settings are experiencing the compound
crises of a public health emergency and additional barriers to their opportunities to learn, develop and thrive. School systems have responded in varying ways but children in crisis
settings face unique challenges.
In response, the IRC has responded in nimble and innovative ways to continue reaching the families we serve in the face of school closures and other disruptions. These adaptations account for conditions within each context but all share the same goal: ensuring the right of every child to a quality education, even in a pandemic.
By reaching some of the most marginalized and vulnerable students in the world, these innovations have the potential to help these children through this immediate crisis and guide us toward a more inclusive, effective and prepared global education field once the pandemic is over. Access to education in a safe space can provide a child with a critical pathway to overcoming trauma, and a chance at a better life.
The IRC is working with schools, ministries of education, and technology partners to curate, adapt, and distribute digital and radio educational content to support parents and enable children to continue their education while schools are closed. In addition to reading and math, IRC’s educational content is also covering social-emotional learning and parenting under stress, all designed to be modular, accessible in multiple local languages, and easy for caregivers to use with children learning at home.
In Jordan and Lebanon we are reaching Syrian refugee children through our Ahlan Simsim program, a partnership with Sesame Workshop, providing course materials through online video and WhatsApp.
In Afghanistan we're creating education kits to reach parents and children in their homes.
In Malaysia we're preparing refugees and asylees slated for resettlement through remote orientation sessions in 11 different languages.
And in the United States, the IRC’s Ready to Read program in Seattle helps elementary and middle school students who are still learning English continue reading and advancing their skills. Students use Raz-Plus, an online literacy program, to access a library of books categorized by reading level. They join tutors in weekly, 45-minute Zoom sessions to read new books together, build essential literacy skills, practice conversational English, and advance their English language proficiency.
Every year, the IRC provides schooling and educational opportunities to more than 1 million girls and boys in crisis zones around the world. While this year presents many new challenges, our commitment remains intact.
Your compassionate support to the IRC can provide a gift that will change lives.
For example:
-$20 can fill a refugee child’s backpack with school supplies, giving them the tools they need to succeed in the virtual and in-person classroom.
-$58 can supply the tuition, books, and other supplies a child needs to attend school for a year.
-$80 can provide a safe space for children to study, make friends, and begin to heal in the aftermath of disaster.
-$240 can help reopen a school in a disaster stricken country like South Sudan, Syria and Lebanon by providing PPE, chairs, tables, chalkboards and other essentials so students and teachers can return, learn and thrive safely.
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