October 9, 2025 — The International Rescue Committee (IRC), in partnership with Education Above All (EAA), supported by Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), and in collaboration with the Teacher Creativity Center (TCC) and Sesame Workshop, recently launched the “Hope for Tomorrow" early childhood development (ECD) initiative. This fifteen-month initiative will support the well-being, learning, and resilience of young children and their caregivers impacted by the crisis in Gaza and the West Bank.
Following the recent ceasefire, communities across Gaza are seeking to return home and find ways to meet their basic needs. The humanitarian situation remains dire, with communities facing conditions that threaten survival. Everyone in Gaza is now in need of humanitarian assistance, 90% of the population is displaced, and infrastructure, including hospitals and schools, has been systematically decimated. Families endure shortages of clean water, food, healthcare, and shelter, as well as the separation or loss of family members across Gaza, which has subjected tens of thousands of children to trauma, violence, and profound emotional distress. According to the UNICEF, 95 per cent of schools in Gaza were damaged or destroyed. In June 2025, the Palestinian Ministry of Education (MoE) reported that over 16,000 students in Gaza had been killed, and at least 25,300 others were injured. In the West Bank, over 130 students have been killed, and more than 890 others have been injured.
The “Hope for Tomorrow” initiative will reach around 250,000 children and 500,000 caregivers through in-person and remote early childhood development (ECD) services, combining direct support with educational media such as the Arabic-language program Ahlan Simsim. Centered on play-based learning and responsive caregiving, the initiative will create safe, inclusive spaces that promote healing, emotional regulation, and early learning. It will also equip caregivers, educators, and frontline providers with the tools, training, and materials needed to support children’s well-being and development even in times of crisis.
David Miliband said, “We are glad to partner with Education Above All Foundation, supported by Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), and Sesame Workshop to support the well-being, development, and educational advancement of young children impacted by the crisis in Gaza and the West Bank. This initiative comes in response to an unprecedented crisis. Building on the success of our early childhood development initiative Ahlan Simsim, ‘Hope for Tomorrow’ is an investment in the unwavering commitment to healing and hope in the face of profound adversity.”
Mohammed Al Kubaisi, CEO of Education Above All Foundation, said, “Building on our partnership with the International Rescue Committee and Sesame Workshop, we are reaffirming our commitment to ensuring that every child, no matter their circumstances, has the chance to learn, play, and heal. This initiative represents more than immediate relief; it is an investment in recovery, resilience, and the right to education for children living through crisis.”
Building upon seven years of collaboration across the Middle East and North Africa, the IRC and Sesame Workshop have demonstrated that high-quality early childhood development (ECD) programming can help children process trauma, build resilience, and thrive despite adversity. The “Hope for Tomorrow” initiative expands on this success, leveraging IRC’s regional experience and aligning with national education priorities in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).
“Hope for Tomorrow” seeks to offer not only immediate relief but also a pathway for recovery, healing, and resilience, emphasizing the urgent need for ECD to be recognized and resourced as a fundamental part of humanitarian and development policy.
For more information, please visit www.educationaboveall.org
For media inquiries, please contact:
IRC Global Communications
Phone: +1 646 761 0307 | E-mail: communications@rescue.org
Patience Rusare
Education Above All Foundation Senior Media Specialist
+974-5993-1560
Mohamed Al-Amri
Education Above All Foundation Senior Media Relations Specialist
+974-5000-9960