A new four-year partnership between Save the Children, Norwegian Refugee Council, and the LEGO Foundation will deliver lifesaving, play-based education and protection to children affected by conflict and emergencies worldwide.
Scale and funding
- Total funding: US $32 million
- Target reach: 300,000 children
- Coverage: crisis-affected countries including Haiti, Bangladesh, Lebanon, Somalia, and others
Why it matters
The partners highlight a worsening global situation:
- 520 million children currently live in conflict zones
- 273 million children are out of school
Education in emergencies is framed not only as learning, but as:
- Protection from exploitation and recruitment
- Psychological recovery from trauma
- A source of stability and normality
What the programme will do
The initiative introduces an Education Acute Humanitarian Response Mechanism, designed to:
- Deliver education within days or weeks of emergencies
- Combine education, child protection, mental health support, nutrition, and WASH services
- Create safe, structured spaces for learning and play
Early results (since 2024 pilot phase)
- Reached 135,000+ children
- Delivered 33 emergency responses in 18 countries
- Operated in crises including Gaza, Lebanon, and Sudan
Voices from the organisations
- Save the Children emphasizes education as a fundamental right and a protection tool.
- NRC highlights rapid deployment of learning support in emergencies.
- LEGO Foundation focuses on play as essential for healing, learning, and resilience.
Overall goal
The partnership aims to make education in emergencies:
- Faster to deploy
- More scalable
- More integrated with protection and health services
Ultimately, it seeks to ensure that even in conflict settings, children can continue learning, recovering, and maintaining hope.
