New-York, 22 June 2018 - The Education Cannot Wait (ECW) fund announces an allocation of US$3 million to support the delivery of education services to newly displaced children in the ongoing Syria crisis. This allocation will support aid organizations in meeting urgent growing education needs resulting from new population displacements in Idleb and Aleppo Governorates in the North-West of the country and in Deir-ez-Zour, Hassakeh and Raqqa Governorates in the North-East.

The funds will improve access to quality education and learning opportunities for 20,000 newly displaced children and will support 500 education personnel. The 12-month programmes will include activities such as establishing safe learning spaces, delivering learning and recreational materials, distributing stipends and teaching resources to teachers and mobilizing communities in support of education. Psychological support will also be provided to help children recover from the trauma they endured in active conflicts areas.

This allocation will build on the coordination and implementation architecture established under the ongoing Whole of Syria (WoS) ECW $15 million Initial investment. Activities to be implemented under this new allocation are also in line with the Syria Education Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) 2018.

ECW is a global fund launched at the World Humanitarian Summit in 2016 by international humanitarian and development aid actors, along with public and private donors, to deliver education to children and youth in conflict and natural disaster settings. The Fund steers a new way of working in the delivery of education in emergencies, increasing the effectiveness of aid through a more joined-up approach between relief and development actors. So far, ECW’s investments are supporting education programmes in 16 crisis-affected countries, reaching more than 650,000 of the most vulnerable children and youth on the globe.

For press enquiries, contact:

Ms. Anouk Desgroseilliers, adesgroseilliers@unicef.org, +1917 640-6820