EAA teams up with QUEST to offer a brighter future for thousands of Syrian children and young people
Qatar Upholding Education for Syrians Trust, also known as QUEST, was launched at the 71st UN General Assembly Meeting in New York this week. It seeks to ensure children and youth affected by the Syrian crisis can unlock their full potential by having the necessary education and skill to effectively transition into formal education and future gainful employment.
QUEST is supporting two major Education Above All programmes:
- Educate a Child – QUEST funding will be channelled towards benefiting 100,000 out of school children at the primary level in Syria and Iraq.
- Al Fakhoora – QUEST funding will be directed to benefit 5,883 higher education students in Syria, Turkey, Lebanon and Iraq.
The ongoing civil war in Syria has generated the biggest humanitarian crisis since the Second World War. Over 13 million Syrians have fled war and persecution to become refugees in neighbouring countries, including hundreds of thousands of children and young people. Many are traumatized and seek any reminder of the normality of life before violence broke out. Education provides a vital means of achieving this.
Following the announcement of the new agreement with QUEST, Fahad Al Sulaiti, Chief Executive of Education Above All said:
“Education Above All salutes QUEST for its quick and concrete response to the commitments made by the State of Qatar in London to support Syrians affected by the current crisis. We are grateful for the support QUEST is providing to two Education Above All programmes and the confidence it has shown in our record of changing the lives of the most marginalised children and young people around the world.
“We are delighted Education Above All will play such a central role in the establishment of QUEST and will use this new partnership to build on the vital work already underway to ensure thousands more Syrian children and young people can access the education they so desperately need.
“Education is not just a chance to learn. It develops the skills necessary to build a future for themselves, their family and their community. Ultimately it will be the young people we are reaching out to today who will take on the onerous responsibility of rebuilding Syria once peace prevails.
“At the United Nations General Assembly this week, we will be using the high-level meetings and events we attend to ensure the plight of these children is front and centre of humanitarian efforts to support those caught up in the brutal civil war in Syria.”
