Amir dreams of becoming an engineer. Instead, he spends all day collecting scrap metal to sell.

Ali wants to learn about the elements that make H2O, but needs to fetch the water for his family.

Sara dreamt of becoming a doctor before she became a wife.

For children like Amir, Ali and Sara, education is the difference between hope and hardship. The key to a better future, it enables young people to achieve their goals and fulfil their potential.

But across the globe, more than 78 million children are out of school, leaving them highly vulnerable to poverty, poor health and exploitation.

In Syria, compounding crises have deprived an entire generation of the right to learn. After 11 years of conflict, 40% of schools have been destroyed, damaged and repurposed. For many children, there is no longer a school to attend.

Displacement is also at the centre of Syria’s education crisis. For internally displaced children, attending school is made difficult by numerous factors, none more so than the distance and cost involved.

Without school to provide a sanctuary, children are exposed to myriad threats, such as child labour and early marriage. Children work in more than 75% of Syrian households, and nearly half of these children provide a joint or sole source of income. These experiences rob children of a childhood, often inflicting both mental and physical harm.

Exploitation is a frequent outcome of being locked out of school. But this relationship works both ways - exploited children face great difficulty in getting back into education, leaving them trapped in a cycle of hardship. Ensuring equitable access to education is key to breaking this cycle.

These patterns are present in crises zones the world over. In Afghanistan, the inextricable link between exploitation and having no access to education can be seen in the increasingly high rates of early marriage.

At a time when girls have been prevented from attending secondary school until further notice, child marriage has seen a marked increase. An additional contributing factor is the dire economic situation in the country, which is forcing families to make desperate choices, such as putting children to work and marrying girls off at a young age.

No child should be denied an education. No child should be denied a childhood.

Through our Education Programme, we’re ensuring that all children have the opportunity to learn, irrespective of the circumstances.

From Mobile Learning Centres that deliver education in displacement camps, to trained psychosocial support staff who work tirelessly to create a positive learning environment, all of our projects are designed to bridge the education gap and safeguard children from harm.

With your support, we can make education a reality for all children.