Education

Cord believes that education is a key sector to address in tackling poverty and contributing to a peaceful society, and therefore education is one of the two main sectors of its focus.

Education provides choices and opportunities, and offers a means to a better life and a way to prevent a recurrence of violent conflict. For example, educational opportunities provide alternatives for young people from being recruited into armed groups. It also provides an understanding of potential peaceful futures, secured through non-violent means.

During times of violent conflict, people often miss out on education, as schools close due to insecurity, or people flee and spend years living internally displaced in their own country, or as refugees in another country.

Education provides hope, and Cord works with people in various situations addressing their educational needs. For example, it works with both refugees and internally displaced people in Chad, supporting educational programmes at pre-school, primary school and secondary school level. It also works with returnees, for example in Burundi, encouraging parents to send their children to school, renovating school buildings and providing water and sanitation.

In many countries where Cord operates, boys education is prioritised by parents either for financial or social reasons, and Cord works with the parents and the communities to encourage girls to attend school.

In addition, Cord places significant emphasis on adult education through the provision of skills training and literacy, as many people who have lived through protracted conflict contexts have missed out on the opportunity to attend or complete their primary education. Cord prioritises both formal and informal education, recognising both as building blocks for building peaceful societies.