Youth For Education in Emergencies
Youth For Education in Emergencies
At Plan International UK, we are working together with a global panel of youth leaders to ensure that all children living in emergencies can access quality education.
For children living in crises, education is a lifeline. Going to school enables children to learn and develop and can provide protection from violence and exploitation. School is often a place where children access vital services like food and sanitation, and it can offer a sense of normality during unimaginable turmoil.
Humanitarian crises are growing and lasting longer: according to new global estimates, 222 million crisis-affected children and adolescents are in need of education support.
Yet, governments continue to deprioritise education. Only 2-4% of the world's humanitarian funding goes to education in emergencies.
The right to education is most at-risk during emergencies but it is also the exact time when it is needed the most.
A panel of youth leaders formed through the Youth For Education in Emergencies (Youth4EiE) project are working together to put education in emergencies on the agenda of world leaders.
About the Youth4EiE project
In partnership with Education Cannot Wait, and supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, Youth4EiE brings together youth leaders from across eight countries to form the Global Youth Panel. Since forming in 2022, the Global Youth Panel have been advocating for Education in Emergencies at both a national and global level.
Each member of the panel is a positive force for change in their own communities. They combine their skills, networks and expertise to help raise awareness of the challenges children face in accessing education in emergencies. They also advocate for increased funding from governments.
Meet the Global Youth Panel
Adi, 20, Indonesia
Adi is a child’s rights activist from West Java in Indonesia and current president of National Youth Coalition SOS Indonesia and Youth Advisory Board SOS CV International. He has also been previously active with West Java Province Childrens Forum and Child LED Campaign Indonesian Joining Forces. After witnessing the impact of Covid-19 on the education system in Indonesia he has advocated on behalf of children across the country at a Regional level. He joined the Global Youth Panel in 2023, after being an active member of the Y4EIE National Network in Indonesia. He is also the founder of ‘Yuk Produktif’ an online education community hosted on Instagram.
Aimun, 24, UK
Aimun is an Economist and Policy Specialist, passionate about building a just world and a better future for all, especially in conflict zones. She was born and raised in India-administered-Kashmir and is currently based in the United Kingdom where she graduated from the London School of Economics.
Previously, she has worked alongside various not-for-profits, think tanks, financial institutions, publications and international bodies. This includes the opportunity to lead and organise the United Nations UN75 Campaign, where she conducted research and advocacy on various Sustainable Development Goals including Quality Education. She has also been recognised as the “Global Youth Ambassador” by Their World and “Sustainability Hero’” by the London School of Economics. Aimun joined the Global Youth Panel in 2023 and aims to work towards building a just world using global collaborative action.
Angela, 25, Malawi
Angela is a girl's, children and young people and education activist living in Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Malawi. She is a member of the Youth Advisory Panel and a mentor in the Child Parliament. Since joining the Global Youth Panel in 2022, Angela has been raising awareness of the barrier refugee girls face to Education, including access to clean washrooms. Watch her video. She has recorded and performed her poetry in support of ECW 222 Million Children Campaign.
April, 23, Indonesia
April is a gender equality activist from Bogor City, in West Java province of Indonesia. She is the founder of ‘Pusnisme Bogor’ an organisation that provides a safe space for children and women in her community. She is currently a member of Plan Indonesia’s Youth Advisory Panel and Girls Ambassador for AMAN Indonesia. April joined the Global Youth Panel in 2023 after being active in the national Y4EIE network in Indonesia.
Clara, 23, Lebanon
Clara is a Law graduate with a master’s degree in Technology Law. She’s a women’s rights and education activist based in Beirut. Since 2022, Plan International has been the destination for her activism pursuits. Her involvement commenced through active participation in the "She Leads" campaign that aims to strengthen girls-led youth advocacy and transformative initiatives. In addition, she contributed to the "Equal Power Now" movement, which involved young women taking charge of leadership roles, emphasising the urgency for gender parity in influential positions. While following her involvement with Plan, she was chosen to take part in the worldwide research on the status of girls globally known as State of the World of Girls.
Clara joined the Global Youth Panel in 2023.
Damien, 20, Malawi
Damien is an education campaigner living in Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Malawi. He is a member of UNGEI Global Coalition for Gender Transformative Education, a member of Transform Education, President for Youth Advisory Panel in Dzaleka, a mentor for Dzaleka Children’s Parliament, Secretary General for Dzaleka Youth in Action and a Peer Educator. Damien is passionate about youth engagement into meaningful participation and leadership in humanitarian action and international development.
Since joining the Global Youth Panel in 2022 he has been advocating and campaigning for policy and support for refugee youths, education financing and accountability, gender transformative education and youth partnerships in international development and humanitarian action.He coordinated the development of the Youth Call to Action launched at the ECW HLFC for stakeholders to fund EiE.
He is now working with schools to set up and revamp Disaster Risk Reduction Clubs. Watch his video.
Dana, 23, Lebanon
Dana is a feminist activist living in Lebanon’s capital Beirut. She is currently vice-president of the Youth Parliament. She is also an alumni of Plan International’s She Leads programme, where she worked with youth across the country to advocate for Sexual and Reproductive Health & Rights at regional and global levels. Dana joined the Global Youth Panel in 2023, since which she has represented the panel at Women Deliver 2023 Conference hosted in Rwanda.
Faria, 19, USA
Faria is an activist living in Las Vegas in the USA. Born to a refugee family from Kurdistan, they have raised awareness of genocide and violence against the Kurdish people.
During the Covid-19 pandemic they acted as coordinator for Afghan refugees who had relocated to Southern Nevada, where she noticed the lack of consistent and quality education for girls and young women in the community. Faria is also a current member of the Plan International USA Youth Advisory Board. They joined the Global Youth Panel in 2023.
Meera, 19, UK
Meera is a student and girls rights campaigner from London in the UK. She is currently studying Politics and International Studies at University and is passionate about girls equality and access to education. She is a member of Plan Internainoal UK Youth Advisory Panel, where she has campaigned to the UK government on issues ranging from the East Africa hunger crisis to Public Sexual Harassment. Meera joined the Global Youth Panel in 2023.
Melanie, 25, United Kingdom
Melanie is a Democracy and Campaigns Coordinator at University of Westminster Student Union in London where she supports students to get involved with activism. She has previous experience working for North East Lincolnshire Council supporting at-risk young people to access education, including those with special educational needs, children in care, and refugees.
Since joining the Global Youth Panel in 2022 she has played an active role in advocating for Education in Emergencies funding to the UK government and represented Plan International events.
Michelle, 23, Zimbabwe
Michelle is a Social Worker living in the UK working to support at-risk children. Originally from Harare in Zimbabwe, she has experience working with young people in her community to empower them with income generating projects. She has also served as Harare City Junior Councilor and been an active leader with Plan International Zimbabwe.
Since joining the Global Youth Panel in 2022 Michelle has raised awareness of the barriers young people affected by crisis have to education, with a focus on the digital divide and lack of school feeding programmes. This included speaking at the UN Transforming Education Summit.
Nataly, 23, Ecuador
Nataly is a Sociology student from Pichincha, Ecuador. She is passionate about girls rights and is an active leader in the Por Ser Niña movement as National Communications Coordinator.
Nataly joined the Global Youth Panel in 2022 and since has been raising awareness of the impact of violence on girls education in Ecuador. She co-drafted a Youth Manifesto which she presented to the Minister of Education. Nataly has also represented the panel at the UN Transforming Education Summit and Education Cannot Wait High-Level Financing Conference.
Nelly, 23, Ecuador
Nelly is an indigenous youth leader from the Gualipite Jatumpamba community in Ecuador. She is a leader in the ‘Por Se Nina’ movement where she works with youth groups in the community on rights issues and education for girls, boys and adolescent women in vulnerable situations. She is also studying Accounting and Auditing at University. Nelly joined the Global Youth Panel in 2023 after being active in the national Youth4EIE project in Ecuador.
Sarah, 24, UK
Sarah is a masters graduate of International Development, now working with UNICEF UK. She has previous experience working with the young people’s service at Barnardos and as a Youth Mentor for high school students. Sarah is also a Global Youth Ambassador with Theirworld.
Since joining the Global Youth Panel in 2022 she has focused her advocacy on education financing, drawing on her experience growing up in Nigeria to highlight the impact of conflict and corruption on education systems. She has spoken at many high profile events including the UK Parlianment and Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Conference.
Tabeth, 25, Zimbabwe
Tabeth is a journalism student and writer working with Mbilez24 a youth led organisation that operates in the suburb of Mbare, Harare. She is also a girls rights activist and uses social media to push the agenda of social change and gender equality through hosting her own Facebook talk show.
Tabeth joined the Global Youth Panel in 2022 and since has advocated for the barriers to education that girls in Zimbabwe face, especially when crisis hits. This included speaking at ECW High Level Financing Conference on school violence.
Tendai, 23, UK
Tendai is Social Worker living in Nottingham in the UK, where though her work in child protection she has supported unaccompanied asylum-seeking children as they navigate the challenges that arise from being alone in a new country, including accessing quality education. She is also committed to enhancing social mobility and has volunteered as a mentor to students from disadvantaged communities in the East and West Midlands. Tendai joined the Global Youth Panel in 2023.
Thuba, 21, USA
Thuba is a student living in Alabama, USA. Originally from Zimbabwe she attended high school in Bulawayo where her education was regularly disrupted by unrest. Since then she has advocated for access to education in emergencies. She previously represented Plan International Zimbabwe at the Conference on the Status of Women and currently sits on Plan International USA’s Youth Advisory Board.
Wenddy, 26, Ecuador
Wenddy is a young migrant from Venezuela living in Ecuador. She is a language graduate and runs a Rural Training School for Girls, Boys and Adolescents in her community and is also an active leader in the Por Ser Niña movement.
Since joining the Global Youth Panel in 2022 she has spoken up about gender inequality and the barriers rural girls in Ecuador face to access education. This has included speaking at the UN Transforming Education Pre-Summit in Paris and at ECW High-Level Financing Conference in Geneva.
Yoris, 22, Indonesia
Yoris is a climate and education activist from East Nusa Tenggara, the southernmost province of Indonesia which was impacted by cyclone Seroja in 2021. He is a community volunteer and has experience providing psychosocial support to children affected by disasters.
Since joining the Global Youth Panel in 2022 he has used his film-making and social media skills to highlight the impacts of climate change on his community, and education systems. This included producing an award winning documentary. He has also spoken at the Unlock the Future Festival in New York and ECW High Level Financing Conference in Geneva.
Special thanks also goes to Global Youth Panel Alumni Rida (USA), Victoria (USA), Jean-Paul (Lebanon), Tia (Lebanon), Anta (Mali), Aminata (Mali) and Indy (Indonesia) for all their hard work!
Our Partners
This project has been launched in partnership with Education Cannot Wait and with support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
For more information on the project, email [email protected]