How learning continues amid conflict and disaster
The Invisible Emergency
When disaster strikes, education is often the first service suspended—and the last restored. Yet for children like Amina, a 10-year-old Syrian refugee in Lebanon, school is her only anchor:
“After the bomb destroyed our home, I thought I’d never study again. Now at this tent school, when I read, I forget the war.”
By the numbers:
- 224 million crisis-affected children need educational support (UNESCO)
- Only 30% of refugee youth attend secondary school
- Each year of schooling increases future earnings by 9%
Why Education Can’t Pause for Emergencies
1. The Protection Lifeline
Schools in crises provide:
✅ Safety from child labor/early marriage
✅ Nutrition (through feeding programs)
✅ Mental health support via routine
HCI’s example: Our mobile schools in Afghan refugee camps reduced child labor by 65% in 6 months.
2. Preventing a Lost Generation
- Gaza: 90% of children show PTSD symptoms (Save the Children)
- Ukraine: 5+ million disrupted educations
Solution: HCI’s trauma-informed teacher training helps educators recognize distress signs while teaching math/science.
3. The Long-Term Cost of Stopping Learning
- Economic: $128 billion annual global cost of education disruption (World Bank)
- Social: Uneducated boys are 3x more likely to be recruited by armed groups
How We Deliver Education Against All Odds
🚌 Mobile Classrooms
- Converted buses serving nomadic communities
- Solar-powered digital libraries
📦 School-in-a-Box Kits
- 40 student backpacks
- Teacher manuals + whiteboard
- Basic STEM supplies
📱 Distance Learning
- Offline tablets with preloaded lessons
- Radio instruction in remote areas
What Works: Evidence-Based Strategies
| Challenge | Innovative Response | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| No safe buildings | Earthquake-resistant tents | 100% operational after quakes |
| Teacher shortages | “Parents as Educators” training | 300+ community teachers trained |
| Language barriers | Bilingual picture dictionaries | 2x faster language acquisition |
How You Can Help
1. Fund Critical Supplies
- £25: STEM kit for 5 students
- £100: Teacher training for one educator
- £1,200: Equip a mobile classroom
See Exactly What Your Gift Provides
2. Advocate
- Push for the 4% global aid target to education in emergencies
- Share #EducationCannotWait stories
3. Volunteer
- Remote: Tutor children via Zoom
- On-site: Train teachers in trauma support