Can't Wait to Learn

Millions of children are missing out on quality education due to conflict and crisis. Can't Wait to Learn bridges that gap by bringing learning solutions to places where there are not enough classrooms or teachers. We target both refugee and host community children, whether in formal schools or through learning programmes within alternative education centres, homes. Institutional architecture is considered from day one when createing a Can't Wait to Learn platform. The question was never simply 'how do we reach children now?' but 'how do we build something the government can own, scale, and sustain?' That long-term thinking is visible in design decisions: the curriculum alignment that makes the platform credible to Ministries of Education, the co-creation process that gives educators ownership, the model that removes financial barriers to scale.

Can't Wait to Learn brings foundational learning to life through playful, curriculum-aligned digital games that help children develop foundational reading and numeracy skills. Delivered on tablets or other digital devices, both online and offline, depending on the context, Can't Wait to Learn is implemented in classrooms, learning centres and community spaces. Each session is guided by trained teachers or facilitators, who support learners and track their progress through the games. Whether in a refugee settlement, a rural village, or a crisis-affected community, Can't Wait to Learn offers an engaging and consistent learning experience tailored to local curricula and culture.

Rooted in research and designed for continuous improvement, Can't Wait to Learn regularly evaluates and refines its approach, metrics and methods to meet the evolving needs of learners in crisis. Evidence shows that approximately 30–35 hours of gameplay per subject can lead to significant gains in foundational skills. To maximise impact, the Can't Wait to Learn team at War Child works closely with partners in each context to adapt delivery models and reach as many children as possible with quality, effective education.

To date, we've reached over 300,000 children across three continents, delivering playful, personalised, and impactful digital learning experiences to those who need them most. But our journey is far from over: we aim to scale up and expand even further, becoming the most cost-effective, flexible, and impact-driven digital personalised learning platform, fully embedded within national education systems. This is a shared responsibility, one that crosses borders and unites organisations and individuals around a common goal: unlocking learning for all children, everywhere.

At Can't Wait to Learn, partnership is our power. Our success is the result of strong collaboration with governments, educational institutions, international, subnational and local organisations, civil society organisations, research institutions and private foundations. From funding innovation and shaping pedagogy to adapting and delivering the programme on the ground, each of our partners bring a unique expertise that helps us refine our approach and expand our impact.

Together, we’re also scaling results. In Ukraine, the platform is becoming the core of the country's official digital learning system. In Sudan, children improved math and reading scores significantly. In Lebanon, students saw a 16% math improvement in just 12 weeks. In Chad, children learned 50% more than their peers. In Uganda, the offline game now supports unlimited learners, and we’re working to fully institutionalise the platform.

Can't Wait to Learn is implemented in crisis-affected settings that often present unique and complex challenges. While implementation in countries like Ukraine is relatively smoother due to better infrastructure, widespread internet access, and availability of devices, the majority of the countries we work in are low-resourced and face significant obstacles such as limited electricity and scarce access to tablets or suitable learning tools.

To address these issues and ensure the best possible learning experience, we tailor solutions to each context. At the start of every new partnership, we organise a comprehensive induction session to introduce the platform, adapt it to the local context and identify potential barriers and solutions, drawing on our experience in similar settings.

In Ukraine, by mid-2026, Can't Wait to Learn system will be formally handed over to the Ukrainian government as an integrated part of the national education infrastructure.

Moreover, research plays a pivotal role in Can't Wait to Learn, driving continuous improvement. It demonstrates progress in foundational skills, but it also improves their psychosocial well-being and engagement with learning.

In Uganda, the offline game now supports unlimited learners per device and automated data collection.

We constantly refine the platforms to better meet the needs of crisis-affected communities, which in turn provides critical insights into sustainable scalability across diverse, challenging contexts.

Can't Wait to Learn is ready to support education programmes and systems wherever it's needed. We collaborate with partners in each context to adapt the programme and ensure it’s locally relevant and effective.

If you're interested in exploring how Can't Wait to Learn can bring cost-effective, high-quality learning opportunities to children in your setting, we’d love to hear from you.

Get in touch to start the conversation and see how we can work together.

Contacts:
Luke Stannard, CWTL Programme Director: luke.stannard@warchild.net
Eszter Nagy, CWTL Partnerships Lead: eszter.nagy@warchild.net