In Madagascar, education and health systems are collaborating to boost student well-being and school attendance.

With GPE support, the education ministry has rolled out initiatives such as deworming and iron-folic acid supplements—simple yet powerful measures to keep students healthy and engaged in learning.

When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted delivery of these health programs in 2021 as schools were closed, the health ministry pivoted to community-based deworming, while the education ministry continued monitoring impact—demonstrating strong inter-ministerial coordination.

As a result, more than 2.25 million children received iron and folic acid in 2022, and 1.25 million received deworming treatments.

In Mongolia, the school meal program has become a cornerstone of holistic education.

The GPE-funded project, implemented by the education ministry and managed by Save the Children, complements other school meal interventions and reaches over 48,000 children in 45 schools.

The project also trained 135 school administrators, cooks and nutritionists, with a focus on nutritious menus, food preparation and hygiene, manufacturing practices and equipment safety.

These efforts strengthen both learning and health.

In Chad, GPE funding supports a government-led project to boost literacy and practical skills through non-formal education, particularly for women.

With UNESCO and UNICEF managing the GPE grant, training has included literacy, numeracy and trades such as processing of shea, neré, manioc and peanuts; market gardening; raising goats, sheep and poultry; and sewing, carpentry, woodwork and masonry.

Over 10,900 women have been trained in trades and are now living more independent lives.

In Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, home to the world’s largest refugee settlement, nearly half of youth are out of school—many at risk of poverty, social exclusion and harmful behaviors.

To break this cycle, Bangladesh is equipping vulnerable adolescents with skills to work and thrive.

With funding from GPE and technical support from UNICEF, the government’s Skills-Focused Literacy for Out-of-School Adolescents program helps out-of-school 14-to-18-year-olds gain literacy, numeracy, life and vocational skills, with courses ranging from tailoring and IT to electrical installation and food service.

Over 6,800 youth from refugee-hosting communities have completed training, and many—like 17-year-old Kutub, who left school in grade 8 due to financial hardship—have found jobs.

“This training helped me live a more disciplined life, learn new things and see things from a practical perspective,” he says.

A national scale-up is bringing skills-focused literacy training to out-of-school youth across Bangladesh.

GPE’s broader support in Cox’s Bazar since 2018 has helped expand access to education for almost 135,000 children and adolescents in both refugee camps and host communities.

In South Sudan, where flooding and drought are becoming more frequent, GPE and Save the Children supported the education ministry in building 176 flood-resilient classrooms in 22 schools and strengthened communities’ resilience through early warning systems, preparedness and response planning.

Over 400 members of school management committees and parent-teacher associations have been trained in disaster risk reduction and management, and school environmental clubs carry out activities such as tree planting.

In Mozambique, tropical cyclones Idai and Kenneth in 2019, followed by heavier than normal rains, disrupted learning for thousands of children.

GPE provided emergency preparedness and response training at schools, enhancing both teachers’ and students’ capabilities to respond to and recover from disasters.

Across the country, 90 national, provincial and district trainers—including 40 school disaster management committees—received instruction on disaster risk reduction and emergency management, and are now helping to scale the knowledge further.

Sudan has the world’s largest child displacement crisis, with over 5 million children displaced within Sudan and to neighboring countries. In total, over 14 million children remain out of school.

Many schools have been destroyed and are being used as shelters for displaced people.

With GPE accelerated funding, UNICEF and Save the Children and their Sudanese national implementation partners supported over 285,000 children by June 2025.

UNICEF support enabled authorities and local communities to reopen 181 schools and set up 365 safe learning spaces.

The latter offer accelerated learning programs and are equipped with teaching and learning materials as well as recreational supplies, ensuring a holistic approach that prioritizes learning and the well-being of children.

GPE funding also supported the establishment of over 100 e-learning centers in remote communities, with innovative digital content aligned with the national curriculum, helping children reintegrate into the formal system.

In Syria, over a decade of conflict has led to many children missing out on all or part of their education.

In 2022, with funding from GPE and several development partners, UNICEF reached 18,000 children in Al-Hasakeh, northeast Syria, with a self-learning program and remedial classes.

This special curriculum supports children who are unable to attend school due to violence, displacement or work, enabling them to study at home or in community learning spaces with the help of caregivers or volunteers.

A UNICEF-supported mobile team also visits regularly, providing recreational activities for children.

With the strong coordination of GPE, UNICEF and other development partners, more out-of-school children in Syria have a chance to continue their learning.