New app brings education into the hands of displaced Ukrainian children

War Child is teaming up with Ukraine’s government and non-profit organization Osvitoria to create a Ukrainian version of Can’t Wait to Learn, a best-in-class education app for emergency contexts.

Since the war in Ukraine began on 24 February, more than 7 million children have had their lives irreversibly disrupted. The children have lost a safe existence – and their fundamental right to education.

Last May, in preparation for the start of the new academic year, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MESU), together with the non-profit organization Osvitoria, approached War Child to find a solution to reach and teach mathematics and reading to children in grades 1-4.

– Since the war started, 2,248 educational institutions have been damaged and 287 destroyed. With millions of children displaced inside and outside of Ukraine, we needed an accessible, successful and measurable EdTech solution that we can provide to our teachers and guardians regardless of where they are in the world, says Andrii Vitrenko, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine.

War Child accepted the challenge and rapidly began to adapt its already proven Education-in-Emergencies program, Can’t Wait to Learn. In collaboration with the IT company Consid, the app was developed to meet the need that arose in Ukraine. The app was re-programmed to reach as many of Ukraine’s children as possible, allowing the educational material to be easily downloaded to personal IOS and Android devices.

– Today, the education landscape is unpredictable for Ukraine. Therefore, we must offer an educational experience that Ukrainian children, teachers, and parents can trust, says Zoya Lytvyn, head of NGO Osvitoria.

The digital education program offers educational games based on state-approved curricula. Each app version is uniquely designed with children, educators, and local artists to reflect the country’s culture, language, and appearance.

– The unique thing about Can’t Wait to Learn is that the program considers the urgency of education in emergencies and the children’s curiosity and eagerness to learn. Children cannot afford to wait or want to for education. Can’t Wait to Learn reduces the distance between the children and their dreams of a better future, says War Child’s international director Ramin Shahzamani.

Can´t Wait to Learn has been used in several other conflict-affected countries and has provided more than 59,000 children with quality education.

– War Child is doing a significant job for children in need. We at Consid are very proud to have been a small part of their app and to contribute to securing children’s right to education during times of crisis, says Peter Hellgren, CEO of the IT company Consid, which helped develop the Ukrainian app.

The new version of Can’t Wait to Learn was launched in Ukraine on September 26.