In the humanitarian aid sector, a necessary shift is taking place. For many years, the emphasis of most humanitarian efforts was reactive, short-term relief, where high-income countries’ organizations held the purse strings and dictated the terms. But now, the sector recognizes that proactive, locally-led development is both the most effective and most ethical approach — especially in emergencies.

If we’re going to sustain this much-needed change, we need a strategic agenda that’s both innovative and evidence-based.

Developed by War Child Alliance, ‘Can’t Wait to Learn’ — a digital personalized learning platform for foundational literacy and numeracy — is an example of how evidence-based interventions can deliver profound educational benefits in conflict and climate-based crisis settings.

But there is still more to be done, both for ‘Can’t Wait to Learn’ and the wider education sector. Which is why we’re focusing our next phase of research on four elements: equity, efficiency, sustainability, and integrating mental health promotion with education.

Equity: designing interventions that are inclusive and meaningful

Achieving equity in humanitarian work is fundamental to ensuring no one is left behind. We need to understand what each community needs and assess the effects of interventions across different demographic groups. Then we can tailor interventions to these differences, ensuring inclusivity and meaningful impact.

By combining datasets from multiple ‘Can’t Wait to Learn’ evaluations, we can identify what causes higher or lower rates of access, attendance, and learning. And we analyze these findings together with qualitative feedback from interviews and focus groups. Such information helps tailor the design and delivery of ‘Can’t Wait to Learn’ to children who face challenges such as living with disabilities, lower socioeconomic status, or internal displacement. That knowledge sets a benchmark for how we design humanitarian efforts to address diversity across our programs.

Efficiency: continually improving to deliver the best support at the lowest cost

In resource-constrained contexts, efficiency is paramount. We’re accountable to the governments and the communities we work with, which means we streamline and adapt how we work to deliver the best support possible while keeping costs down. That’s fundamental when looking to expand an intervention to reach more people across more countries.

One way to achieve this is through rigorous, value-for-money research. It helps identify which parts of an intervention are essential, and which can be optimized. With the support of the Yidan Prize project funds, we’ll apply this in a large-scale study in Lebanon, focused on understanding how ‘Can’t Wait to Learn’ influences learning and behavioral change, what makes for optimal design, and the most effective way to implement the intervention.

Sustainability: building for the long term through community agency and partners

Sustainable humanitarian interventions involve creating robust partnerships at local and national levels, supporting local communities to take ownership and leadership, securing consistent funding, and crafting adaptable implementation methods.

To sustain and expand educational initiatives, it’s critical that local governments understand evolving needs and challenges. Working with the private sector, like telecom companies and internet providers for education technology, can introduce innovative funding mechanisms and generate revenues that make programs more resilient. And partnering with local universities makes the most of contextual knowledge and expertise while contributing to knowledge exchange and sector growth.

The broader humanitarian community should also look at what’s already working to adopt and adapt those strategies. That includes models where educational programs generate their own financing — offering a template for sustainable interventions.

Holistic approach: integrating mental health and education for dual benefits

In an emergency, people’s needs are all too often addressed in isolation — like healthcare, housing, and nutrition. But addressing mental health and education together can have a lasting impact, long after wounds have healed, and houses have been rebuilt. Crisis settings demand a holistic approach where education and mental health support are core elements of the emergency response plan, backed by research and evidence.

And they reinforce each other. Evidence has shown us that addressing children’s psychosocial needs fosters better learning outcomes and enhances well-being. Our goal is to integrate mental health promotion strategies into ‘Can’t Wait to Learn’ so that while children keep learning, they also grow and thrive.

When we embrace evidence, we set a new benchmark for humanitarian aid

Programs like ‘Can’t Wait to Learn’, with rigorous research, continuous improvement, and adaptability, offer valuable lessons on how we can reframe humanitarian aid as a long-lasting, equitable, effective practice. Through equitable approaches, efficiency and optimization, sustainability measures, and integrative mental health strategies, we can ensure that our interventions do more than just temporary relief — they provide lasting solutions that transform lives.

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Jessica Timings
Media Manager, War Child Alliance

Carmen Moreno
Communications Advisor Consultant, War Child Alliance

Selin Turan
Knowledge Mobilization and Engagement Coordinator, War Child Alliance

Jasmine Turner
Researcher — Can’t Wait to Learn, War Child Alliance

Professor Mark Jordans
2024 Yidan Prize for Education Development Laureate; Director — Research and Development, War Child Alliance

Photo credit: War Child Alliance