New three-year investment will reach nearly 200,000 crisis-affected children and adolescents, helping them return to safe, inclusive learning while supporting the recovery of Sudan's education system. The announcement comes as Education Cannot Wait launches Hope Starts Here, a global campaign to mobilise US$600 million to reach 10 million children living through the world's most severe crises.
GENEVA, Switzerland, Aug. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the global fund for education in crises, has announced a new US$22 million multi-year investment to help restore safe, quality and inclusive education for nearly 200,000 crisis-affected children and adolescents across West Darfur, South Kordofan and Gedaref, as Sudan continues to face the world's largest humanitarian and displacement crisis.
The announcement follows a high-level mission to Sudan. ECW Director Maysa Jalbout met with children, teachers, communities and education partners affected by more than three years of armed conflict and displacement.
Since conflict erupted in April 2023, some 14 million people have been forced to flee their homes, while 33.7 million people now require humanitarian assistance. At least 8 million children - nearly half of Sudan's 17 million school-age children - remain out of school. Across the country, large numbers of schools remain non-operational, while millions of children have endured prolonged disruptions to their education, with some missing nearly 500 days of learning.
"Education in Sudan has been interrupted by conflict, displacement and unimaginable hardship. Yet it remains one of the most powerful tools we have to protect millions of children, restore hope and support recovery. This investment is about much more than reopening classrooms. It is about supporting children to regain a sense of safety and normalcy while strengthening education systems that can continue serving communities through crisis and into recovery. Sudan's children cannot wait," said Maysa Jalbout, Director of Education Cannot Wait.
The three-year programme will reach those left furthest behind in the country - including internally displaced children, refugees and vulnerable host communities, with at least 60% girls and 10% children with disabilities. It will establish safe formal and non-formal learning environments, provide mental health and psychosocial support, strengthen teacher capacity, improve access to quality learning materials, and address barriers facing girls and children with disabilities. A US$5 million crisis modifier will enable rapid responses to emerging emergencies and climate-related shocks.
Implementation will be led by Save the Children, in partnership with Plan International, Lakarmissionen International (LM International), and local partners Alsalam Organisation for Relief and Development (AORD) and Sadagaat.
"For millions of children in Sudan, conflict and displacement have disrupted not only their education, but also their sense of safety, routine and hope for the future. Access to safe, quality education is a fundamental right and one of the most effective ways to protect children and support their recovery during times of crises. Through this ECW multi-year investment and partnership, children in Sudan will be able to access learning opportunities that provide critical protection, psychosocial support and a pathway to recovery, resilience and a brighter future," said Francesco Lanino, Deputy Country Director for Save the Children.
Localisation is central to the programme, with nearly 48% of the budget going to national and local partners. Local actors will work alongside organisations of persons with disabilities, women-led organisations and community structures to ensure the response is rooted in the priorities and capacities of the communities it serves.
"Communities in Sudan have shown extraordinary resilience despite the immense challenges they continue to face. As a Sudanese organisation, we know that lasting impact comes from solutions that are rooted in local knowledge, trust and partnerships with the communities we serve. Through this programme, we will work alongside families, teachers and local partners to help children return to safe, inclusive learning environments where they can recover, regain hope and build the skills they need for the future," said Rudwan Elfaki, General Director of AORD.
ECW's US$22 million investment provides seed funding towards a total programme requirement of US$39 million, with partners continuing to mobilise additional resources to expand support as needs evolve.
From Sudan to a global call for action
The Sudan investment comes days after the launch of Hope Starts Here, ECW's new global campaign to mobilise US$600 million to reach 10 million crisis-affected children with education over the next four years.
The campaign launches at a critical moment. ECW's latest global estimates show that 258 million school-aged children and adolescents across 87 countries now have their education disrupted by crises.
Hope Starts Here builds on a decade of action by ECW and its partners, reaching more than 14 million crisis-affected children and adolescents with education, protection and holistic support.
The campaign will mobilise governments, foundations, philanthropies and private sector partners ahead of ECW's High-Level Replenishment Conference in Geneva on 5 November 2026, hosted by Switzerland.
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About Education Cannot Wait:
Education Cannot Wait (ECW) is the global fund for education in crises. The Fund provides rapid, flexible funding to locally-led education responses that protect learning for refugee, internally displaced and other children, while strengthening systems to sustain learning and resilience in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. ECW works with governments, public and private funders, UN agencies, civil society organisations, and other humanitarian and development aid actors so that no child is left behind.
As global crises intensify and the education financing gap widens, ECW calls on public and private sector partners to scale up investments so millions more crisis-affected girls and boys can learn and rebuild their futures.
Additional information available at: www.educationcannotwait.org
For press inquiries:
Rafik Elouerchefani relouerchefani@un-ecw.org
Estefanía Jiménez: esjimenez@un-ecw.org
For other inquiries: info@un-ecw.org
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