According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), about 258 million children and teenagers of school age around the world do not attend school. 6 children and teenagers out of 10 do not achieve minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics. This particularly concerns young girls who represent 2/3 of illiterate people in the world.

Yet, education is one of the best ways to put an end to poverty. According to the Observatory of French Education Aid in Developing Countries, each extra year of school results in a 10% increase in a person’s potential income. On a national level, this implies a 1% increase in the annual GDP. An educated population is more resistant to all sorts of crises and increases its capacity for resilience. No country can progress in the long-term without investing in the education of its population.

With its local partners, the IECD develops education measures that allow vulnerable young people (isolated, socially disadvantaged, refugees, young people with learning difficulties, or young disabled people) to access to good quality education. From children to young adults, the IECD aims to help each individual reveal his or her talents and place them at the service of his or her community in order to become a committed citizen of the country.