Red Education
RED Education is a global initiative that brings together the IFRC network’s efforts to support education – in formal and non-formal spaces – for children and young people before, during and after disasters or crises.
Our approach
A young girl holds up a workbook that she used as part of a disaster risk reduction education program at the Santulan Elementary School near the capital of Manila in the Philippines.
Photo: Madeline Wilson/IFRC
RED Education strives to ensure safe access to inclusive and quality learning for everyone – even in the most challenging humanitarian contexts. Anchored in a principled approach that is values-driven, needs-based, and people-centered, RED Education focuses on three main areas to support communities at risk of, or affected by, crisis.
Preparedness: To equip schools and teachers with the knowledge and skills to anticipate and manage risks through training, as well as cash or in-kind assistance for anticipatory action.
Relief: To address education communities needs when disasters strike through the distribution of relief items, habilitation of recreational and learning spaces and psychosocial support.
Recovery and development: To support the reconstruction of schools after disasters and support families with cash or in-kind assistance to ensure children and youth have access to uninterrupted education.
Who is Red Education for?
After receiving invaluable first-aid education herself, Myanmar Red Cross volunteer Nang Moe Oo, now shares her knowledge with others in her community as part of the “First Aid for us – for life programme,” operated by the Myanmar Red Cross.
Photo: Myanmar Red Cross Society
- Children and young people , especially those facing disadvantages (e.g., impairments, socio-economic challenges, language barriers), to ensure they have access to uninterrupted education.
- Adolescents and young adults to learn technical, vocational and professional skills to access employment opportunities and sustainable livelihoods.
- Teachers and other education personnel to provide children and young people with the skills, tools, and support needed to create impactful learning experiences.
- Parents, caregivers and entire communities to learn life-saving skills such as first-aid, disaster risk reduction, protection and emergency preparedness.
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Our ambitions
A volunteer for the Guatemalan Red Cross performs at a local school as part of a community theatre activity that teaches children about disease prevention.
Photo: Guatemalan Red Cross Society
By 2030 the IFRC network aims to reach:
• 40 Million children and youth
• 1 Million teachers and education personnel
• 100,000 schools and learning spaces
• 100 countries
• 25,000 Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers
More information
What are the funding requirements?
To achieve our goals, RED Education aims to raise and invest a total of 500 million CHF for the period of 2025 – 2030.
What does the curriculum cover?
The RED Education curriculum equips learners with the knowledge and skills to identify and manage risks in their environment, and to work together to develop plans for safety, climate adaptation and resilience.