The LEGO Foundation, Germany and USA Announce US$42 million in New Funding to Education Cannot Wait

NEW YORK, Sept. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to a global learning crisis that has left 222 million crisis-impacted children in dire need of education support, The LEGO Foundation, Germany, and the United States announced this week US$42 in new funding to Education Cannot Wait (ECW).

"These generous new contributions from the LEGO Foundation, Germany and the United States are a global call to action. We must unite to fully fund Education Cannot Wait and our strategic partners in mobilizing US$1.5 billion over the next four years. This new funding will allow us to reach 20 million children caught in some of the world's worst humanitarian crises," said ECW Director Yasmine Sherif.

Taking the stage at this weekend's Global Citizen Festival, The LEGO Foundation CEO Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen announced a new US$25 million contribution to ECW, bringing total contributions to approximately US$65 million to date.

"Imagine there was a magic lever that could transform the lived experiences of the 222 million children and youth living in crisis contexts into the peacekeepers and builders of tomorrow. Well, there is: Education," said Albrectsen.

In response to the crisis in Ukraine, which has severely impacted access to education for close to 7 million children, the Government of Germany also announced €10 million in new funding. Germany is the largest donor to ECW, with approximately €330 million in total funding to date.

"The international community urgently needs to increase its investments in education. Global Citizens, thank you for raising your voices to call for more support for Education Cannot Wait, so that all young people everywhere in the world will have access to quality education: this will enable us to end extreme poverty – now," said Svenja Schulze, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany.

The Government of the United States announced US$7 million in new funding from the US State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, bringing total contributions to US$109.3 million to date.

"Today at ECW's High-Level Steering Group meeting during the United Nations General Assembly, I was privileged to announce US$7 million in additional assistance from the United States for Education Cannot Wait to bring quality education to refugee, stateless and other displaced children," said Julieta Valls Noyes, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration.

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