There has been significant improvement in providing children with access to quality education worldwide over the years. However, 58.4 million children of primary school age are still out of school because of financial and security reasons. As a result, charities are working endlessly to provide more children with access to education. So we had to ask: What are the best charities for children’s education?

The best charities for children’s education are Children International and the Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE). Charities like Save the Children and the Child and Family Network Centers provide access to educational opportunities for marginalized children worldwide.

Whether you want to improve access to education for children from low-income families, improve the provision of free education, or help underprivileged children acquire basic literacy and numeracy skills, there is a charity for you. Keep reading to learn more about what the best charities for children’s education are all about, how they work, and what your best way would be to make a contribution.

Here’s What All the Best Charities for Children’s Education Have in Common

The charities on this list were chosen based on their mission, impact and transparency ratings, and achievements.

They operate worldwide, from North America to the Middle East, serving the educational needs of disadvantaged children. 

Many of these charities work to provide vulnerable children from impoverished communities with free educational opportunities. Others focus on providing employment skills training for adolescents and teachers.

Yet they all share the same goal; to ensure every child has access to a good education. 

These Are the 9 Best Charities for Children’s Education in 2024

Below are our favorite charities for children’s education (you can click on their link to directly jump to their section in this article):

Best Charities For Children’s Education

Children International

Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE)

Save the Children

The Child and Family Network Centers

Plan International

United World Schools

Theirworld

Educate Girls

Asha for Education

(At the end of this article, we’ll also share our six-step approach on how you can select the best charity to support.)

Children International: Bringing People Together to End Poverty for Good

Children International was established in 1936 to provide free food and medical aid to women, children, and families in Israel. Today, they provide health, social, and educational programs to support children living in poverty.

Children International has a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator. They also hold a Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.

“We invest in the lives of children and youth, build the healthy environments they need to thrive, and empower them to create lasting change in their own lives and communities.”

Children International

Children International supports disadvantaged children worldwide by providing free school supplies, like uniforms and books, to equip pupils with the materials they need to succeed at school. They also award annual, renewable scholarships sponsoring children and youth to attend a vocational school, college, or other higher institutions. In addition, Children International offers tutoring sessions to children falling behind at school and access to free resources like libraries and computer labs to children enrolled in their programs.

Since their founding, Children International has supported underprivileged children worldwide with access to educational opportunities. For example, in 2018, they provided free math tutoring sessions to 19,592 children and literacy training to 18,488 children. They also award thousands of scholarships to children every year through their Hope Scholarship Fund. In 2018, 97% of scholarship recipients advanced to the next grade or completed secondary school successfully. 

You can donate directly to Children International through their website. You can also assist the charity by sponsoring a child in need.

Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE): Leading the Way to a Better Life for Vulnerable Children

Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE) was founded in 1945 by Arthur Ringland and Dr Lincoln Clark to deliver food relief packages to World War II survivors in Europe. Today, CARE fights poverty by increasing access to education for marginalized children, particularly teenage girls living in unstable, conflict-affected environments.

Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere has a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator. They also hold a Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.

“We work around the globe to save lives, defeat poverty, and achieve social justice.”

Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere

Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE) works to increase access to quality education for underprivileged children. For example, they partner with governments, communities, and schools through their Educate Your Children II project to enroll marginalized Somali children in school. CARE also helps them acquire literacy and numeracy skills and transition to higher education levels. In addition, their Strengthening Opportunities for Adolescent Resilience (SOAR) program teaches basic literacy skills, financial literacy, and business development to girls who are out of school or facing barriers to education.

Today, Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE) works in over 100 countries, reaching more than 90 million people through 1,300 projects. For example, through their Strengthening Opportunities for Adolescent Resilience (SOAR) program, CARE provides educational opportunities to 4.1 million girls that had previously been denied the chance to attend school. Also, their Educate Your Children II project has enrolled 31,129 children in primary and accelerated basic education. Furthermore, they have distributed learning materials to students and teachers in 77 primary schools and 5,010 student textbooks and teachers’ guides for accelerated basic education.

You can donate directly to Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere through their website. You can also support them by volunteering.

Save the Children: Providing Education Access and Support to Vulnerable Children

Save the Children was established in 1919 by Eglantyne Jebb to support starving children in the aftermath of World War I. Today, the charity is a global organization working tirelessly to give every child the best possible start in life and access to a good education. 

Save the Children has a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator. They also hold a Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.

“Every child deserves a future.”

Save the Children

Save the Children runs pioneering programs to support disadvantaged children worldwide and improve their access to education. For example, they work to reach children who are missing out on learning, particularly girls, by providing access to local childhood development centers and through their Every Last Child campaign. They also help toddlers prepare for kindergarten by teaching them basic reading skills so they can read by the 3rd grade. In addition, their School Health and Nutrition programs increase access to clean water, vision screening, and AIDS education for children worldwide.

Since their founding, Save the Children has delivered quality education to over 273 million children. This is more than any other global development organization. For example, since 2000, they have reduced the number of out-of-school children by a third, resulting in 180 million more children getting an education. Furthermore, in 2019, the charity directly impacted 7.7 million children through their Global Education programs. 

You can donate directly to Save the Children through their website. You can also assist the charity by volunteering.

The Child and Family Network Centers: Providing Caring, High Quality, Free Education

The Child and Family Network Centers was founded in 1984 by a group of mothers to provide kindergarten education to their children. Today, they are a community-centered organization delivering accessible, quality, bi-lingual preschool and family support to children and families in Alexandria, Virginia.

The Child and Family Network Centers has a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator. They also hold a Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.

“The Child and Family Network Centers is an Alexandria-based network of 8 free, high-quality bi-lingual preschools that provide low-income children with the tools they need to succeed in school and in life.”

The Child and Family Network Centers

The Child and Family Network Centers provide accessible, quality early education to children from low-income families in Alexandria. They also assist families in accessing community-based services and ensure children enter kindergarten having completed the appropriate physicals, vaccinations, and medical screenings. In addition, they work with bilingual social workers to help parents gain skills to support their children’s education. They do this through various parental education workshops ranging from healthy parenting to nutrition. 

Today, the Child and Family Network Centers offer access to free, high-quality, bilingual education at 8 preschools in 6 locations to underprivileged children in Alexandria. Since their founding, they have provided 3,700 children with high-quality preschool education and helped their parents find better housing and jobs. They have also donated 16,767 children’s books to 138 low-income families.

You can donate directly to the Child and Family Network Centers through their website. You can also support the charity by volunteering.

Plan International: Advancing Children’s Rights

Plan International was founded in 1937 by John Langdon-Davies and Eric Muggeridge to provide food, shelter, and education to children affected by the Spanish Civil War. Today, they are a global organization working to advance children’s rights and equality for girls through education and youth empowerment programs. 

Plan International has a 3-star rating from Charity Navigator. They also hold a Platinum Seal of Transparency in GuideStar.

“We are relentless in driving change to advance children’s rights and equality for girls by working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners.”

Plan International

Plan International promotes free, equal access to education for every child by advocating for policy changes at both local and international levels. They also help children with disabilities access primary and secondary schools that meet their needs. Through their education in emergencies program, they provide quality formal and non-formal education opportunities that meet the needs of girls and boys affected by humanitarian crises. In addition, they advocate for funds and support for inclusive education opportunities for young girls.

Today, Plan International works in 78 countries to advance children’s rights to education. For example, in 2021, their work reached 26.2 million girls and 24.1 million boys in 61,231 communities. Through their Education in Emergencies initiative, the charity responded to 136 disasters, reaching over 9.8 million children through 184 education and child’s rights programs. 

You can donate directly to Plan International through their website. You can also assist them by Sponsoring a Child or joining their Emergency Response Roster. 

United World Schools: Teach the Unreached

United World Schools was founded in 2009 by Chris Howarth to improve the state of underfunded schools in remote regions by engaging them with students from UK and US schools. Today, the charity works tirelessly in hard-to-reach areas to improve access to quality, inclusive education.

United World Schools holds a Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.

“Education is the key to a brighter future.”

United World Schools

United World Schools collaborates with local communities and global supporters to increase access to quality education for children in hard-to-reach areas across Cambodia, Madagascar, Myanmar, and Nepal. They do this by establishing primary schools and learning environments that support all students learning and developing foundational skills, including reading, writing and counting. They also train local teachers and ensure language diversity to ensure minority students don’t miss out on their education. 

Since their founding, United World Schools has reached 43,400 children in marginalized communities, providing them with access to quality education. They have also established 250 schools with 23,700 children and 1,250 students. In addition, they have provided indirect assistance to 131,300 beneficiaries, comprising parents, families, and communities.

You can donate directly to United World Schools through their website. You can also support them by organizing a fundraiser or giving them a philanthropic gift. 

Theirworld: Fighting to End the Global Education Crisis

Theirworld was founded in 2002 by Sarah and Gordon Brown to support scientific and community research that helps the most vulnerable children access education. Today, the charity is a global organization dedicated to removing the barriers that keep children out of education.

According to their financial report, Theirworld spent 99% of their expenditure on charitable activities and 1% on fundraising

“Committed to ending the global education crisis and unleashing the potential of the next generation.”

Theirworld

Theirworld works with governments, businesses, youth, and like-minded nonprofits to develop solutions for improving the global education system. For example, they collaborate with local partners to develop toolkits and resources to advocate for the advancement of pre-primary education in Kenya. In addition, their Small Grant Programs offer grants of up to $12,000 to registered charities that work with disadvantaged young people worldwide, including South Africa, America, and China. They also connect and train over 2,000 young people and social entrepreneurs to campaign for better education equality through their Global Youth Ambassadors program. 

Since their inception, Theirworld has enabled more than 4 million children to attend school. They have also awarded over $1 million in small grants to nonprofits and schools worldwide. Furthermore, over 1,000 young people join their Global Youth Ambassador Network annually and they have gained over 11 million campaign supporters to date. 

You can donate directly to Theirworld through the charity’s website. You can also assist the charity by getting involved in one of their campaigns or fundraising.

Educate Girls: Girls’ Education Can Change the World

Educate Girls was founded in 2007 by Safeena Husain to build awareness of the crisis in girls’ education across India. Today, the charity promotes and protects every girl’s right to a good education through direct support and advocacy. 

Educate Girls scores 94 out of 100 for finance and accountability ratings on Charity Navigator. They also hold a Silver Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.

“It is the right of every girl to be in school and learning.”

Educate Girls

Educate Girls runs door-to-door surveys to identify out-of-school girls in impoverished villages in India and enrolls them in local schools. Community volunteers then provide long-term support to enhance their learning. The charity also sets up village meetings to promote the importance of education and lead school improvement plans to reduce the number of dropouts. In addition, through Project Pragati, they operate learning camps that enable adolescent girls to achieve their secondary certification.

Since their founding, Educate Girls has enrolled over 950,000 out-of-school girls with the help of their 20,000 volunteers. Their community work has improved learning outcomes for 1.5 million students across 21 districts and trained 310,000 adolescent girls in valuable life skills. The charity now works in over 20,000 villages across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. Their schools boast a 95% retention rate. 

You can donate directly to Educate Girls through their website. You can also support them by following their social media pages or volunteering. 

Asha for Education: Bringing Hope Through Education

Asha for Education was founded in 1991 by a group of students to drive social and economic change in India through child education. Today, the charity identifies and funds education-related projects in India through their 50 worldwide chapters. 

According to their financial report, Asha for Education spent 91.7% of their expenditure on program services and 1% on fundraising. 

“To catalyze socio-economic change in India through the education of underprivileged children.”

Asha for Education

Asha for Education provides education to underprivileged children in India by investigating, implementing, and funding volunteer-run education projects across the country. These include establishing a Learning Center for children with cerebral palsy in Melmalayanur and the Bharathi Trust Senchiamma School to support the nutritional and educational needs of young impoverished Irular children. 

Since their founding, Asha for Education has invested around $32.3 million in over 1,000 education and wellness projects that support underprivileged children in 24 states across India. They now work with over 1,500 volunteers and 400 project partners. For example, in 2021, the charity funded the Girl’s Empowerment program that supports more than 1,600 adolescent girls in 60 villages across the Durg and Balod districts. 

You can donate directly to Asha for Education through their website. You can also support the charity by volunteering or by supporting a child.

How Can You Select the Best Charities to Support?

The charities on the list are, we deem, the best charities for children’s education. However, you may have a particular charity you want to support. Let’s look at what you can do to ensure your contribution has the most significant impact.

• Check out the charity website. Charities that are worthy of your donations are transparent in their mission and their figures. Familiarise yourself with their history, mission, and values. Their website usually is the best place to start.
• Identify the charity’s mission. Without a goal, the charity is likely to fail. If the charity’s mission isn’t clear, it’s probably worth looking for a charity that does have a clear mission. 
• Check if the charity has measurable goals. An effective charity has clear goals. You want to know your donation will help the charity reach its goals. But if it doesn’t have targets, it’s likely to fail or squander your gift. The charity should be able to account for its spending and supply evidence of the work they do.
• Assess the successes or goals the charity has achieved. You wouldn’t invest in a business if it kept missing its targets. In the same way, charities are like this too. If no one is assessing a charity’s progress in reaching its targets, the chances are they’re not making a substantial positive change.
• Check the charity’s financials and stats. Trustworthy organizations will publish financial statements and reports each year. Some might be exempt from having to do so, but they should be able to provide them to public members who are interested in donating.
• Locate sources who work with or benefit from the charity. Word of mouth and first-hand experience of a charity’s work lets you know the charity’s quality. If you’re able to do so, check out the charity for yourself or speak to someone familiar with it. This way, your donation will go to the right place. 

How Can You Best Support These Charities?

After you’ve made your decision, it’s time for you to decide on how you’d like to help the charities you’ve chosen. Check how you can help – each charity runs specific programs that have unique aims. Find out what the aim of such programs is and whether they are right for you. 

Here are a few ways you can help your chosen charity:

• Donate money. You can find donation pages on the website of most charities. Your donation can be a one-time payment, or you can set it to be deducted regularly at different intervals. You can mostly pay via credit card, but some charities also take PayPal or Bitcoin payments.
• Buy their official merchandise. The charities can also raise money by selling merchandise. So, you can support them by buying the mugs, shirts, caps, pens, pencils, and any other such items they may be selling. Ideally, you should buy as much as you can to share and spread the word about the charity’s activities.
• Engage in volunteer work. As you’ve seen from our descriptions above, some charities engage in a lot of local and grassroots programs. You can help by taking on and organizing the program in your local area.
• Help their fundraising efforts. You can spread the word about the charity in your workplace, school, church, etc., and hold creative fundraising drives on social media or offline within your small circles.
• Share their stories. Most charities have compelling stories that you can share with your audience to attract more people to the cause.

Final Thoughts

Now it is up to you to select the charity that resonates most with you. And whichever charity you end up choosing and contributing to, we are sure that they will immensely appreciate your support. Hopefully, the information within this article has made this selection process a bit easier for you to support charities dedicated to children’s education – based on the causes that matter most to you.

Stay impactful,

PS: Finally, I want to leave you with a thought-provoking TED talk from Dan Pallotta, a leading philanthropic activist and fundraiser, about what is wrong with the way we think about charities – and what we can do about it:

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