Education in Emergencies

In Azerti Kitili IDP camp in Benishangul-Gumuz region in Ethiopia, countless children have been displaced due to inter-ethnic conflict.

But UNICEF and its partners are giving these children a chance to reclaim their childhood and provide them with the opportunity to learn.

Take Haile Mohammed, 12 years old, after fleeing his home with his mum, Mulu, and his brothers and sisters, he is happily back in the classroom. “I want to be a doctor when I grow up,” he said. His mum said beaming proudly: “I am proud of my son, and I am overjoyed, even despite the fact we can’t go home, he is learning and safe.”

Mussa Asmara loves football and idolizes Lionel Messi. When he is not playing football, he goes to school, and he is in Grade 3. His favorite subject is Amharic, and his dream is to be a teacher. Children are the future of Ethiopia, and they need to be able to get an education, to reach their full potential. In the future, as adults, they can meaningfully contribute to society, boost the economy, and restore peace and stability.

Children are the most innocent victims in any crisis, but they still deserve to realize their dreams. And the only way they can is through education.

UNICEF thanks USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance for its generous contribution in supporting education in emergencies for children living in crisis in Ethiopia.

By Nahom Tesfaye and Dheepa Pandian