Education Cannot Wait (ECW) is scaling up its support for children affected by the ongoing humanitarian crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with a new US$10 million investment for a two‑year education resilience programme running from 2025 to 2027. The initiative, implemented under UNICEF’s leadership in partnership with Save the Children, World Vision, and the local NGO Femmes Dynamiques pour le Progrès Social, aims to restore a safe learning environment for over 62,600 children in Ituri Province, with a particular focus on girls and internally displaced populations affected by the crisis.
Since 2025, renewed violence and insecurity have forced tens of thousands of families to flee their homes, causing widespread destruction and disrupting access to basic social services, livelihoods, and education. Children in the region are facing heightened risks, including trauma, hunger, and exposure to gender‑based and sexual violence, with adolescent girls among the most vulnerable.
ECW emphasizes the vital role of education as a lifeline that protects children, restores hope, and strengthens community resilience. The “Multi-Year Resilience Programme (MYRP) II” was launched during a high-level mission to DRC in February 2026, during which ECW leadership met with affected children, families, local implementing partners, and national and provincial authorities to discuss programme priorities and ensure alignment with community needs.
The programme is designed to repair and rehabilitate schools, support safe learning environments, and maintain continuity of education despite ongoing crises. It aligns with the Government of DRC’s Education and Training in Emergencies Strategy, leveraging strong engagement from national authorities and local communities to ensure that children can continue learning in stable, safe conditions.
This new funding builds on ECW’s previous emergency grant of US$5 million in 2025 to the War Child Alliance for North and South Kivu, bringing total investments in DRC since 2018 to over US$47 million. While progress has been made in expanding access to primary education, including a 57.5% increase in enrolment between 2011 and 2020, renewed violence in eastern provinces threatens these gains, with approximately 8 million children still out of school nationwide.
ECW stresses that the US$10 million investment is a critical step for children in eastern DRC but highlights that the scale of the crisis far exceeds current resources. Globally, over 230 million children affected by crises urgently require educational support. ECW calls on public and private donors to contribute to its US$600 million 2027–2030 Strategic Plan to ensure children can access education, protection, and opportunities that promote a more stable and sustainable future.
