Education in Emergencies
Despite living in conflict, children still have their dreams
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.”
Embet Osman is 10 years old, and she said: “I want to be a police officer so I can keep my community safe.” If children lose the opportunity to learn, they lose the opportunity to realize their dreams.
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.
UNICEF and its partners are also providing early education in safe spaces like this one. Early education is the foundation of a child’s journey for development and growth. Girls, like Tigist, Fasika, and Birtukan come to this child-friendly centre, and they play and draw with their teacher Zemenay Getu. “I am happy to help these children because they need to be supported in lots of ways due to all the stress they have been through,” she said. “Their joy is contagious, and their joy gives me joy.”
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.
