Education Cannot Wait (ECW), a United Nations’ global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises has announced $5 million in new funding for education in emergency response in war-torn Sudan.
In a press release, ECW encouraged donors, the private sector, and philanthropic foundations to mobilize more funding for Sudan quickly.
According to ECW, Save the Children and UNICEF will provide the 12-month award to 86,000 vulnerable school-aged boys and girls in West Darfur and White Nile, with a particular emphasis on children impacted by the conflict.
The organization claims that the grant’s main goal is to increase access to high-quality, inclusive, gender-sensitive, and kid-friendly education.
According to the statement, the assistance will help learning centers improve learning outcomes, ensure that teachers have the tools and incentives they need to do their jobs and provide children with life-saving access to comprehensive educational support in order to ensure their safety and well-being.
However, following recent projections, at least US$40 million will be needed to scale up life-saving education in emergency response in Sudan. This enormous financing gap is still present, according to ECW.
High-level UN missions to the border regions of South Sudan and Chad were organized by ECW Executive Director Yasmine Sherif in response to the regional conflict to assess the situation. The Fund has also recently announced additional investments in the Central African Republic, Chad, and South Sudan.
“Children have been killed, have lost family members, have had to flee their homes in the most challenging circumstances, and have seen their education abruptly interrupted. This conflict is breaking down basic social services in Sudan – with school-age children and their teachers paying the highest prices. With access to life-saving education opportunities, we can protect girls and boys against the scourge of violence, child marriage, forced recruitment into armed groups, exploitation, and abuse. ECW brings hope to children in devastating situations: education is the best investment we can make in providing children with both protection and a sense of normalcy during a devastating crisis. However, it requires all of us to be generous in funding current and new opportunities to withstand the shocks of the conflict,” Sherif said.
As fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) enters its fourth month, the situation is terrible. According to recent estimates, the violence has caused more than 2.6 million people to be displaced within Sudan and has compelled an additional 855,000 individuals, including refugees, asylum seekers, and returnees, to escape to nearby nations.