New US$22 Million Investment Aims to Restore Education for 200,000 Children in Sudan
Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the global fund for education in crises, 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. The announcement, made on August 24, 2026, follows a high-level mission to Sudan during which ECW Director Maysa Jalbout met with children, teachers, communities and education partners affected by more than three years of armed conflict and displacement.
The programme comes as Sudan continues to face the world's largest humanitarian and displacement crisis, with 14 million people forced to flee their homes since conflict erupted in April 2023. According to ECW, 33.7 million people now require humanitarian assistance, and at least 8 million children – nearly half of Sudan's 17 million school-age children – remain out of school. Large numbers of schools remain non-operational, with some children missing nearly 500 days of learning.
"Education in Sudan has been interrupted by conflict, displacement and unimaginable hardship," Jalbout said. "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."
Programme Details and Beneficiaries
The three-year programme will prioritize internally displaced children, refugees, and vulnerable host communities, with at least 60% girls and 10% children with disabilities. Implementation will be led by Save the Children, with partners Plan International, Lakarmissionen International (LM International), and local partners Alsalam Organisation for Relief and Development (AORD) and Sadagaat.
Nearly 48% of the budget will go to national and local partners, reflecting a commitment to local ownership. Rudwan Elfaki, General Director of AORD, emphasized the importance of local resilience and solutions in addressing the crisis.
Francesco Lanino, Deputy Country Director for Save the Children, also commented on the impact of conflict and the critical role of education in helping children recover from trauma and build a better future. (This quote is carried in The Manila Times and PR Newswire Canada reports.)
Part of a Global Effort
The investment is seed funding towards a total programme requirement of US$39 million, and comes as ECW launches its global campaign "Hope Starts Here" to mobilize US$600 million for 10 million crisis-affected children worldwide.
ECW estimates that 258 million school-aged children across 87 countries have disrupted education. Over the past decade, ECW and its partners have reached more than 14 million crisis-affected children.
A High-Level Replenishment Conference is scheduled in Geneva on 5 November 2026, hosted by Switzerland, to support these global goals.
Perspectives
Education Cannot Wait (ECW)
The fund frames the investment as a critical tool to protect children and restore normalcy, emphasizing the urgency of reaching crisis-affected children and the need for sustained global funding.
Alsalam Organisation for Relief and Development (AORD)
General Director Rudwan Elfaki highlights the resilience of local communities and the importance of locally led solutions in delivering education in fragile contexts.
Save the Children
Deputy Country Director Francesco Lanino underscores the devastating impact of conflict on children's lives and the necessity of education as a means of recovery and hope.