Across the globe, thousands of children are heading back to school this year – many of them in places where education is a lifeline. Thanks to the support of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), students in crisis-hit countries like Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq are receiving the chance to learn, grow, and hope again.

In regions where Christian communities face persecution, poverty, and displacement, ACN-funded schools offer more than lessons—they offer stability, dignity, and a future. In the 2024–2025 academic year alone:

  • 3,895 teachers received stipends to continue their work
  • 12,373 students were awarded scholarships across eight countries

These efforts help Christian families stay rooted in their homelands, even in the face of grave threats.

Education That Builds Hope

Supporting the schooling of disadvantaged internally displaced pupils in the north-central region of Burkina Faso

ACN’s support takes many forms:

  • Supplying computers and printers to schools in South Sudan
  • Building classrooms for displaced children in Burkina Faso and Erbil, Iraq
  • Installing solar panels in Pakistan to reduce school costs
  • Funding programmes to help children return to school after dropping out

In Jordan, 200 Iraqi refugee students continued their studies thanks to ACN’s support of the Messengers of Peace Center in Amman.

In Syria, ACN helped keep over 20 schools open and funded salaries for hundreds of teachers—including those in Orthodox-run schools—ensuring education continues despite war and hardship.

Standing with Lebanon’s Christian Schools

Lebanon has endured years of crisis—from economic collapse to the devastating Beirut port explosion. Many families can no longer afford tuition, and schools struggle to pay staff. ACN now supports:

  • 191 Christian schools
  • Over 170,000 pupils
  • More than 11,000 teachers and students with direct aid

Without this help, thousands of students would be forced to leave Christian schools—or leave the country entirely. ACN’s support is helping stem the exodus and keep hope alive.

Aiming Higher in Iraq

ACN also supports higher education. At the Catholic University in Erbil (CUE), nearly 300 students—including Christians, Muslims, and Yezidis—receive scholarships. In a country healing from years of violence, this multi-faith campus is a sign of peace and progress.

As a new school year begins, ACN remains committed to helping young people learn, thrive, and stay rooted in their faith—especially in places where the Church is struggling to survive.

Your support makes this possible. Your prayers and generosity are building futures.