International Rescue Committee

One of the most transformational investments in fragile states is not roads, ports, or security forces. It involves four-year-olds. Investments in early learning and primary education generate some of the highest long-term returns. Yet less than 4% of aid to crisis-affected countries is directed towards early childhood development — and less than half a percent goes to early learning and play. Earlier this month, the International Rescue Committee and The LEGO Foundation announced a new $97 million partnership to expand playful learning across conflict-affected regions in East Africa and the Middle East. Sidsel Marie Kristensen, CEO of The LEGO Foundation, and I have written about why investments in early learning and primary education matter and what governments, donors, and the private sector must do to scale it. This is what modern philanthropy can do: make bold bets, support evidence-driven programs, invest early, and put significant resources behind solutions that can change the trajectory of children’s lives. More in our op-ed: https://lnkd.in/ek-jinqx

Crisis creates distance: distance from safety, from stability and from each other. But whether someone lives three doors down or three thousand miles away, the distance between us is smaller than we think. This World Refugee Day, we all can close the distance by recognizing that what connects us is stronger than what divides us. The search for refuge, dignity and belonging is not foreign. It is familiar. At a moment when the rhetoric around refugees is growing louder and support is under strain, how we respond matters. This #WorldRefugeeDay, share this post and join us in leading with our shared humanity. Illustration by @nihalkamaal on Instagram 🎨

With #WorldRefugeeDay only two days away, we’re thinking about how people support each other in times of crisis. Crisis creates distance—from home, from safety, from rebuilding a life. But humanity has the power to close that distance. One team of people can reunite a family. One classroom can restore a child’s spirit. One act of courage can save a life. And there are so many more ways to make a difference. At a moment when the rhetoric around refugees is growing louder and support is under strain, how we respond matters. This World Refugee Day, join us in leading with our shared humanity—and share your story in the comments: How do you close the distance?

The world is growing more divided, more unstable, and more unequal—widening the distance between people in crisis and the solutions proven to help them survive, recover, and rebuild. Nearly 118 million people have been forcibly displaced, and millions more need humanitarian assistance at a time when global aid has declined by nearly a quarter compared to 2024 — the largest single-year decline in decades. Every day, this widening gap between needs and resources has life‑and‑death consequences. But the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is working to close the distance: between stability and fragility, between crisis and refuge, and between lifesaving services and the people who need them most. That means following the evidence and investing in the solutions proven to deliver impact at scale, efficiently and cost-effectively. The private sector plays an indispensable role: acting early, funding what works, mobilising others, and investing in long‑term recovery. Through partnerships with companies and foundations, the IRC has developed and scaled solutions that help bridge the gap between people and the services they need. Closing the distance requires leadership—from policymakers, financial institutions and global partners willing to invest in stability and opportunity where it is most fragile. That’s why this World Refugee Day, I am proud to join leaders from the IRC’s partners the Cencora Impact Foundation, Cotopaxi, DataDotOrg, The LEGO Foundation, Uncommon Goods and Wise in calling on private sector leaders to help close the distance between proven solutions and the millions of people they are meant to serve. Read more in our letter.

Today, the International Rescue Committee and The LEGO Foundation are announcing a new $97 million, five‑year partnership to help more than five million children across East Africa and the Middle East learn, develop, and thrive. More than 400 million children live in or are fleeing conflict zones, where disruption to learning, toxic stress, and insecurity threaten their development from the earliest years. Yet less than 4% of aid to crisis‑affected countries supports early childhood development, despite overwhelming evidence that early investment delivers the greatest returns. This is a landmark commitment by the LEGO Foundation. It builds on more than seven years of collaboration, through which we have already reached over seven million children. Together, we are embedding proven, playful learning approaches into national systems—moving beyond short‑term programs to solutions that deliver impact at scale and over time. For millions of children growing up in conflict zones, disruption—not development—is the order of the day. The LEGO Foundation’s anchor investment provides a powerful foundation, but reaching more children will require others to step forward. We are calling on public and private partners to join us in moving beyond survival and toward helping children thrive now and into the future. Read more about the partnership: https://lnkd.in/eEumZrRD

Right now, there are three warning signs that this Ebola outbreak could be particularly difficult to contain. 1. The outbreak is spreading faster than the response. 2. Conflict and displacement are accelerating the risk of regional spread. 3. Severe global aid cuts have weakened frontline health systems and outbreak preparedness across eastern DRC. The bottom line? This could become the deadliest Ebola outbreak on record without urgent international action. More in the International Rescue Committee's Flash Alert: https://lnkd.in/ejz3Kqrz