The U.S. Government and The LEGO Foundation Join Hands to Support Education Cannot Wait

The United States government and The LEGO Foundation are demonstrating the power of collaboration between the public and private sectors to provide critical resources in response to levels of unprecedented global displacement with $24.5 million in funding for Education Cannot Wait (ECW). On behalf of the U.S. government and the American people, the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) are committing $12 million. The LEGO Foundation is providing a private sector match of $12.5 million. This funding for ECW will deliver safe, free, and quality education to crisis-affected youth. Quality and comprehensive early childhood development and education in particular are essential in overcoming challenges children face in conflict settings and ensuring future success in school. It is important because an estimated 25 percent of the world’s school-aged children and youth live in countries affected by crisis.

This joint announcement is just one step toward closing the gap between humanitarian needs and the funds necessary to respond. We welcome the contributions many governments have already made to education interventions, and we encourage all donors to identify ways to leverage their financial resources so that together we can ensure the most marginalized and vulnerable children have access to education.

In addition to showcasing the potential of working with the private sector, this announcement underscores the U.S. government’s focus on the coordination of our development and humanitarian assistance efforts around the globe. This is an essential part of increasing our effectiveness as the world’s single largest donor of both development and humanitarian assistance.