For Many Children, the School Bell Never Rings

South Sudan: A Path Back to School 

In South Sudan, conflict and displacement have left over 2.8 million of children out of school. The country’s education system has been severely underfunded, leaving many schools dependent on unqualified volunteer teachers, just to ensure learning can continue.

Schools are often forced to close when violence flares, floodwaters cut off access or basic supplies run out. Girls face the greatest barriers of all, making their return to education even less certain.  

War Child’s programmes in South Sudan focus on teacher training and wellbeing, and an alternative curriculum for children who have missed years of schooling. Children that we are supporting also have access to Can’t Wait To Learn, War Child’s digital learning programme, which we are working to have adopted into the national curriculum, ensuring this innovative solution can be rolled out across the country. 

Colombia: Closing the Education Gap Through Safe Spaces 

In Colombia, years of violence and inequality have caused significant gaps in education, especially in rural areas and regions hosting migrants. In 2024, national assessments showed that children in rural areas score 26 points lower than those in urban areas, and children in conflict zones face even bigger challenges.

War Child is working to help close this gap by bringing mental health support and emotional learning into schools in areas affected by violence or displacement. We focus on helping children manage their emotions and build positive friendships, creating safe and supportive environments where they feel empowered to learn.

This not only helps them cope with the trauma they’ve experienced but also makes them more eager to attend school.

We work with teachers, parents, and communities to provide support both inside and outside of the classroom.

Central African Republic (CAR): Rebuilding Routes Back to School

In the Central African Republic (CAR), conflict follows children like a shadow into the classroom, shaping what they learn, how they learn and making the school day a challenge.

It’s not unusual to see 150 students share a single classroom, meaning they are trying to learn with limited resources.  Around 95% of teachers are community volunteers, many without formal training, stepping in to teach because there is simply no one else.

War Child has been working in CAR since 2014. Our teams are addressing these barriers to education by training teachers, distributing educational kits, and improving school infrastructure, all while promoting girls’ education and helping them stay in school despite societal pressures. 

Syria: Creating Safe Learning Spaces 

In Syria, over a decade of war has pushed school out of reach for many children. For families struggling to survive, the cost of education is simply too high. For those who do make it past the classroom  door face overcrowded and unsafe classrooms. As a result, many children out of school are pushed into child labour or early marriage, ending childhood far too soon and leaving their futures uncertain.

War Child is creating safe, non-formal education spaces to ensure that children can receive an education. Our Can’t Wait to Learn programme uses tablet-based learning to deliver high-quality educational games and content to children in hard-to-reach areas. We also train teachers, run catch up classes for children who have been out of school for a year or more, and provide mental health support to students.

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): Restoring Hope for the Future

For children in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the school day is never guaranteed and, lessons are often interrupted by violence. Decades of armed conflict and displacement have left many schools destroyed or occupied by armed groups. Without enough qualified trained teachers, learning is hard to sustain even when classroom doors remain open.

In the first half of 2025, War Child supported over 21,800 children to return to school, trained 412 teachers, and rehabilitated over 50 classrooms. We work to create safe learning spaces that support emotional recovery and resilience.

As we begin 2026, we’d like to take a moment to reflect on the impact of the flexible funding we receive, which has allowed us to continue our work in regions where it's needed most, long after the spotlight fades.

This invaluable support enables us to reach those in the most challenging environments, helping children not only survive, but thrive, and build safer, brighter futures. We are so grateful for the support of players of People’s Postcode Lottery and all that our partnership makes possible.