The Accelerated Learning Programme has had a profound impact on Nakurchel's life. Not only has it provided her with the opportunity she's yearned for – to learn and grow alongside her peers – but it has also given her a newfound confidence and belief in herself.
"I used to feel so worthless and left behind, but now I know that I am capable of achieving great things. Education has given me wings to fly."
Nakurchel and her classmates at the Accelerated Learning Programme are just some of the more than 324,000 children and youth in Ethiopia supported by ECW, the global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises within the United Nations system.
Since 2020, ECW investments in Ethiopia have focused on addressing the critical educational needs of internally displaced and refugee children who are out of school, and improving access to education for girls and children with disabilities. ECW’s multi-year programme in the country has funded the implementation of school feeding programmes that have reached over 60,000 vulnerable students like Nakurchel, ensuring that they are healthy and able to focus on their studies with a full stomach. In response to the ongoing drought in Ethiopia, ECW also issued a First Emergency Response grant in 2022 to provide over 85,000 children and adolescents with access to quality, inclusive and protective learning opportunities.
ECW estimates that 62 million children and adolescents affected by climate shocks are in desperate need of educational support. During COP28, ECW issued an urgent climate appeal to donors to mobilize US$150 million in new funding to scale up ECW’s response to climate change – and reach an additional two million girls and boys most impacted by the climate crisis with holistic, quality education.
In an ever-changing world, increased support for education in emergencies and protracted crises is critical so that children like Nakurchel can access a safe, inclusive education. ECW and strategic partners call on donors, the private sector, philanthropic foundations and national and international partners to step-up and fully fund this multi-year programme and ECW’s climate appeal. All children deserve a place in school.
Through collective action, we can ensure that girls and boys around the world can focus on learning, growing and building towards a better future in the safety of the classroom.