Global Citizen Forum has partnered with Crown Agents International Development to provide a brighter future for thousands of young people across war-torn Syria.

Every child should have access to good education, a safe place to play and the hope of a bright future. Yet, due to natural disasters and conflict, these fundamental building blocks are denied to thousands of young people worldwide.

In Syria, this problem is especially acute. Years of brutal civil war have taken a devastating toll on the country’s education system. Hundreds of school buildings have been destroyed or severely damaged, and those that survive often need refurbishment to make them safe and accessible.

Children who can still attend school face extreme challenges - from psychological scars of traumatic experiences to overcrowded classrooms, inadequate teaching quality and a lack of essential learning materials. As a result, one-third of children who have enrolled in school drop out before completing primary education. This start to early life makes it extremely challenging for many Syrians to find employment and lead a prosperous life.

Crown Agents has a strong footprint in Syria, having successful led humanitarian programmes, including the rehabilitation of schools and rebuilding of infrastructure in the most vulnerable communities.

We have also removed debris from schools and overseen the safe removal of unexploded ordinance. In the last two years, our programmes have created safer educational environments for students and teachers and have created employment opportunities for local communities. The work has directly improved the lives of over 311,000 people and 37,000 school children.

Building on this success, we have set up two further programmes to help improve opportunities for young people in Syria:

The Syria Safer Schools Programme aims to help improve educational outcomes for vulnerable children in the country by creating safe, accessible and aspirational learning spaces and enabling access to quality teaching.

The Stronger Livelihoods Programme seeks to empower young people, aged 18-35, in extremely challenging circumstances to take control of their futures.

The programme will generate self-employment opportunities for youth through skilled training in the agricultural sector in northeast Syria. This is a region where investment is urgently required, and food insecurity is becoming an increasing and dangerous prevalence.

By supporting these programmes in Syria, you will be making a huge difference to people’s lives and increasing economic improvement and the stability of the country.