Access to quality education remains a global challenge. Across the world, millions of children face barriers caused by poverty, conflict, displacement, or gender inequality. In response, charities helping children access education worldwide have stepped in to bridge these gaps, offering resources, teacher training, and support programs that enable children not only to attend school but to thrive in their learning environments.
How Charities Helping Children Access Education Address Learning Barriers
These organizations are shaping educational opportunities and empowering children to reach their potential. They respond to gaps in schooling by supporting infrastructure, teaching capacity, learning materials, and inclusive education systems. Their work spans emergency settings and long-term development contexts, reflecting varied approaches to improving access and learning outcomes.
1. Save The Children
Save the Children provides emergency schooling in conflict zones, child-friendly spaces for learning, and psychological support that helps children continue their education during displacement or disasters. In 2024, the organisation reached over 113 million children across 113 countries, ensuring that education remains accessible even amid emergencies.
2. UNICEF
UNICEF supports schools in underserved regions, develops curricula, trains teachers, and delivers learning materials. Since 2021, UNICEF has helped 150 million children gain access to education, including in conflict-affected areas. It works in 190 countries with programs that integrate health, nutrition, and child protection.
3. Room to Read
Active in 29 countries, Room to Read develops reading materials in local languages, trains educators, and creates safe, enriching learning spaces. With 52 million children beneficiaries since 2000, Room to Read is focused on literacy and life skills. Its gender equality programs help girls continue their education and engage meaningfully with their communities
Read Also: A Deep Dive Into The State Of Educational Charities In Nigeria
4. Malala FundÂ
The Malala Fund operates in countries where barriers to secondary schooling are highest. works exclusively to advance girls’ access to 12 years of education. It works to advance girls’ access to 12 years of education, which ensures that adolescents complete school and gain the right skills needed for future opportunities.
5. World VisionÂ
World Vision‘s initiatives include promoting school access, providing learning materials, and training teachers. These efforts are part of broader community development work, addressing health, nutrition, and protection, so children can remain in school and benefit from quality learning environments.
6. READ Tanzania
Realizing Education for Development (READ) Tanzania is focused on improving the quality of education in public schools. With initiatives that include building fully furnished libraries, distributing over 1.6 million books, and providing professional development for 1,330 teachers across 177 schools. READ strengthens learning environments and literacy outcomes, reaching more than 1.8 million students nationwide.
7. Theirworld
Operating in over 140 countries, Theirworld provides early childhood education, refugee learning programs, and youth skills initiatives. Theirworld impacted over 34 million learners, educators, and caregivers. It also trains young social entrepreneurs through its Global Youth Ambassador programme.
8. Teach For All
Present in 63 countries, Teach For All works to ensure all children have access to quality education while improving classroom outcomes, fostering student leadership, and developing collective community-level solutions to educational inequities. The network supports 14,800 active teaching participants and has reached 1.5 million students in marginalized communities.
9. United World Schools
United World Schools (UWS) works to provide inclusive education in remote and marginalized communities. Since 2008, UWS has established 359 schools, trained 1,913 teachers, and enrolled over 80,000 students. Its programs emphasize building capacity in local education systems rather than short-term interventions, ensuring schools remain functional and sustainable. UWS integrates teacher training, school operations, and curriculum development to support long-term improvements in learning quality and access.
10. Street Child
Street Child focuses on enabling children to access education safely in low-resource and emergency contexts. Since 2008, it has reached over 1.4 million children and supported more than 1,000 schools through construction or renovation. Street Child also provides teacher training, temporary learning spaces in crises, and livelihood programs for families to reduce barriers to schooling.Â
These charities helping children access education worldwide demonstrate diverse approaches to bridging the out-of-school gap. Their work underscores the importance of coordinated efforts and long-term strategies in ensuring every child can access safe, effective, and empowering education.
