Recent UN data confirms that Nigeria continues to have one of the highest numbers of out-of-school children in the world, with more than 20 million currently not in class. Intense conflict, displacement, and deepening poverty have converged to create one of the most complex education crises of our time.

In the North East, families have endured over 15 years of violence, loss, and instability. Entire communities have been uprooted, schools destroyed, and countless children forced from their homes.

We sat down with Jummai Lawan Musa, Street Child’s Country Director for Nigeria, to hear how her team is working to change that.

So far, in Nigeria, since 2016 Street Child has helped enrol over 277,800 children into education and supported more than 24,000 parents to better care for their children and afford the cost of schooling. Watch Jummai’s full interview below to hear more.

Street Child co-hosted three super events on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, bringing together leaders across civil society, government and the private sector to make sure children’s education is front and centre of global conversations.

Our flagship convening was a high-level roundtable on ‘funding education in times of crisis’. The session opened with a fireside chat between Sigrid Kaag, Chair of the High-Level Steering Group of Education Cannot Wait (ECW), and former UK Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, now CEO of the International Rescue Committee, moderated by Tom Dannatt, Street Child’s CEO & Founder. This set the stage for a solutions-focused conversation bringing together government, multilateral, philanthropic, civil society, and private sector leaders to explore innovative financing, localisation, and risk-sharing in fragile contexts.

Earlier that morning we co-hosted a superb discussion with the Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) and the Global Campaign for Education, bringing together Education Ministers from Somalia and South Sudan, youth leaders, and local actors to reimagine how our sector can deliver better for children, calling for stronger community leadership and recognising education as lifesaving.

Finally, our evening reception with Education Cannot Wait celebrated the power of local leadership. Robert Hakiza, CEO of YARID Uganda — one of our first ever local partners in the country — highlighted why communities must be at the heart of sustainable solutions. Localisation is embedded in everything Street Child does, from programme design to delivery, ensuring that communities lead the response and children benefit directly. Enormous thanks to Accenture and A&O Shearman who provided wonderful venues and hospitality for these events. 

Thank you for supporting our Back to School Appeal, backed by celebrities including Dame Helen Mirren, Nick Hewer and Chris Kamara. Your generosity is helping children return to school in some of the world’s toughest places, where poverty, conflict and climate crises threaten their futures.   

Support for our Back to School appeal helps fund programmes like EFECT (our largest-ever education programme), and the stories emerging show just how powerful access to education can be for the most marginalised children.

Take Umaro*, who grew up on the streets of Bo, Sierra Leone, and had never set foot in a classroom. That changed when he met a Street Child social worker through the Education For Every Child Today (EFECT) project, delivered in partnership with the Education Above All Foundation’s Educate A Child programme.

“I was moved by the way the social worker talked to me about my future and how education could change my life. I felt important,” Umaro shared.

Through EFECT, Umaro was reunited with his uncle, given a safe place to live, and enrolled into school — where he’s now thriving and dreaming of becoming a lawyer.

Street Child’s annual Craft Half took place on Wimbledon Common, bringing together over 150 runners for a day of fitness, fun, and fundraising (plus the odd beer!). A massive thank you to everyone who braved the rain and hit the running trails in support of our work to ensure children are safe, in school and learning. If you missed out this time or are keen to get involved in one of our upcoming challenges, learn more via the link below.

Meanwhile all running eyes turn to this weekend to Bo in Southern Sierra Leone for this unique extra edition of the Sierra Leone Marathon on Saturday - stay close to Street Child social media for all the action!