©UNICEF/2013/Vasquez
Arch of Jupiter in Damascus, Syria.

By Carlos Vasquez

AMMAN, JORDAN, 8 May 2013 – When I arrived in Jordan for my third mission on April 5th, Za’atari camp had more than 100,000 refugees; five times the amount since my first visit 8 months ago in September 2012. The total number of refugees spread over 4 countries is more than 1.4 million Syrian people today (Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey). The needs are great and it’s hard to keep up. UNICEF uses a 20 per cent factor to plan for education service delivery; that is an estimate of 280,000 displaced school age children in the region. In Za’atari alone we are delivering 3.5 million litres of water every day to meet the demand of refugees.

NEW YORK, 04 October 2012

Richard Rieser is the managing director of World of Inclusion, an expert disabled international equality trainer, consultant and teacher. Recently, Mr. Rieser is supporting UNICEF as one of the minds behind Rights Education and Protection project (REAP). We spoke with Richard about inclusive education and the role of teachers in providing quality education for children with disabilities.

©UNICEF/ New York /2012/Rudina Vojvoda
Richard Rieser speaking at the side event to the Fifth Session of the Conference State Parties Working Together to Implement Inclusive Education (Article 24)

By Carlos Vasquez

AMMAN, JORDAN, 28 September 2012 – As I fill my bags to prepare for my departure back home, I have an overwhelming feeling of emptiness. I want to bring with me the family that crossed the Syrian-Jordanian border overnight, the mother holding her new born child under the Bedouin tent, the child that sells cigarettes to help his family, the child in a wheel chair with no place to go and all those frustrated by the inability of the international community to end the 18 month armed conflict.

©UNICEF/Jordan/2012/ Carlos Vasquez
Boy in Za’atari Camp, Jordan.

NEW YORK, USA, 20 September 2012

Photo courtesy of Save the Children
Katerina Thanasi during Children, Youth and Peacebuilding event organized in New York, September 2012.

Katerina Thanasi is a fifteen-year-old girl from Gjirokastra, Albania. Supported by Save the Children, Katarina is working to promote peace and conflict resolution in her country. She recently participated in a Children, Youth and Peacebuilding event in New York organized by Save the Children, the International Peace Institute and the Permanent Mission of the Norway to the United Nations. In the lead up to the International Day of Peace on the 21 September 2012, UNICEF interviewed Katerina about her projects and the importance of using education as a tool for peace.

Story and pictures provided by Child-to-Child Trust

Low primary school enrolment and retention rates are one of the biggest challenges for children in Yemen, where access to preschool is limited and in some areas non-existent.

© Child-to-Child Trust
Child-friendly classroom created teachers and students at the Taiz district school.

© Courtesy Helen Samuels

By Helen Samuels

NEW YORK, April 2011

The first day at Brooklyn International High School (BIHS), my first Unites States education experience, was different from what I would refer it today. I arrived to NY with my family from Thailand in June of 2008. With the limited English language I had learned in Thailand; I found life in New York wasn’t fun and easy at all. During summer of 2008, I was told from people who have been here ahead of my family that I have to continue my education in New York public high school, which later I learned would be attending BIHS in Brooklyn.

Before the fall semester of 2008 started, I had to be in summer school to prepare myself for the English language, the Unites States education system and getting used to a new environment. The Karen family, who lived in the same apartment where my family lived, guided us to the International Rescue Committee (IRC), New York resettlement office to find me a summer school. IRC helps refugees from many countries, diverse ages and life background for support to go through a process I would call “Building a new life”. Steps to build a new life starts from learning English, learning about the transportation system (subway), learning about going to the hospital, making an appointment, contact a bank, apply for social security card, state ID card, apply for public assistance and search for job/school.