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International Day of Education 2026
The Power of Youth in Co-Creating Education
24 January 2026
Across the world, young people are shaping the future of education. On the International Day of Education 2026, UNESCO highlights the theme “The Power of Youth in Co-Creating Education”—a call to recognize young people not just as learners, but as partners in rebuilding inclusive, relevant and resilient education systems.
At Impact Circle Germany e.V., together with Impact Circle for Nature, this message resonates deeply with our work in Melong, Cameroon, where conflict-affected children and youth are striving to learn, adapt and rebuild their futures under extremely difficult conditions.
Why Education in Melong Matters
Cameroon’s Anglophone Crisis, affecting the country’s two English-speaking regions, has forced thousands of families to flee their homes. Many have sought safety in French-speaking areas such as Melong, becoming Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
For children and youth, displacement has meant:
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Prolonged school closures and interrupted learning
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Overcrowded classrooms or no access to school at all
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Loss of safe learning spaces and qualified teachers
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Increased vulnerability to child labour, early marriage and trauma
In Melong, IDP children often learn in temporary, unsafe or overstretched facilities, while host community schools struggle to absorb the growing number of pupils. Despite these challenges, families and young people continue to show remarkable determination to learn.
Our Response: Co-Creating Education with Communities
In response, Impact Circle Germany e.V., in partnership with Impact Circle for Nature and local stakeholders, is supporting the establishment of the Melong Integrated Bilingual Nursery & Primary School (MINBIPS).
The project aims to:
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Provide safe, inclusive and bilingual education (English & French)
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Serve both IDP and host-community children
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Create learning spaces where youth voices and needs shape education
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Lay the foundation for long-term community-led education solutions
Youth and parents are actively involved in shaping the vision of the school—reflecting the IDE 2026 call for young people as co-creators of education, not passive recipients.
Why This Connects to IDE 2026
The Melong project is not just about classrooms—it is about restoring dignity, opportunity and voice to children and youth affected by conflict.
By supporting this initiative, you are contributing to:
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Youth-centred education in crisis settings
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Inclusive learning that bridges linguistic and cultural divides
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Community resilience and peacebuilding through education
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Progress toward SDG 4: Quality Education for All
How You Can Support
On this International Day of Education, you can stand with displaced and disadvantaged children in Melong.
You can support the project by:
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Making a financial donation
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Contributing educational materials or equipment
Join the Global Conversation
We proudly align with UNESCO’s International Day of Education 2026.
#EducationDay @UNESCO | @Education2030UN | @GEMReport
Together, we can ensure that even in times of conflict, education remains a pathway to hope, agency and a better future.
Rebuilding Education After Displacement: A School for Hope in Melong, Cameroon
When families fled Cameroon’s Anglophone regions, they carried little more than their children and the hope that education would one day resume.
For many internally displaced families now living in Melong, that hope has been tested daily.
Learning in the Shadow of Conflict
The Anglophone Crisis has forced the closure of thousands of schools. Children have missed months-sometimes years-of education. In displacement, learning often takes place in overcrowded classrooms, temporary shelters or not at all.
Parents speak of children who want to learn but lack:
Proper classrooms
School materials
Teachers trained to handle trauma
A sense of safety and normalcy
Yet despite these hardships, families continue to prioritise education.
Listening to the Community
On 4 January 2026, Impact Circle for Nature, with the support of Impact Circle Germany e.V., met with displaced parents and community members in Melong. Together, they assessed learning conditions, discussed socio-economic challenges and enrolled children for the upcoming school year.
Parents did not ask for charity.
They asked for a chance-a school where their children could learn safely again.
A School Shaped by Community Voices
The result is the Melong Integrated Bilingual Nursery & Primary School (MINBIPS)-a project built on participation, resilience and hope.
The school will:
Serve both displaced and host-community children
Offer bilingual education to support inclusion
Begin at a temporary site while a permanent structure is built
Importantly, youth and parents are not just beneficiaries-they are co-creators of this educational space.
Impact Circle Germany e.V.: Connecting Solidarity Across Borders
Impact Circle Germany e.V. supports this initiative by mobilising donors and partners in Germany and across Europe. Through fundraising, advocacy and coordination, the organisation helps ensure that classrooms, learning materials and digital tools become a reality.
This cross-border solidarity turns compassion into concrete action.
Education Cannot Wait
Education in emergencies is not optional-it is lifesaving.
By supporting the Melong education project, you are helping children reclaim:
Stability
Dignity
A future beyond displacement
💙 Support the project via PayPal: info@impactcirclegermany.eu
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