“75% of Lebanese refugee children are now in school but the tragedy is that it’s a really isolated example”

He is renowned as an original thinker. But Kevin Watkins does so聽much more than聽ponder the world国产视频檚 problems聽国产视频� he国产视频檚 a man who knows how to get聽things done on a local and global level.

After many years with the charity Oxfam and then the United Nations, he headed the聽think tank Overseas Development Institute before becoming Executive Director of聽Save the Children UK聽last year.

国产视频淗e国产视频檚 an聽original thinker and a real humanitarian, combining a great mixture of intellectual power and the聽practical will to get things done,国产视频� says 国产视频 President Sarah Brown as she introduces a special interview聽episode of the Better Angels podcast.

You can listen to it here国产视频�

It was Kevin who first came up with the idea for double-shift schools in聽Lebanon, to help the country聽deal with educating huge numbers of Syrian refugee children. Using the same classrooms, Lebanese and Syrian聽children can聽go to lessons at different times of the day.

国产视频淭he results have been pretty extraordinary,国产视频� he says. 国产视频淎ctually, something like 75% of Lebanese refugee children, school-aged children, are now in school. That figure was in the low 20% four years ago.

国产视频淚 think that国产视频檚 a small example of what is possible. The tragedy is that it国产视频檚 a really isolated example.

In this in-depth discussion,聽Kevin talks about the lack of financial聽help for host countries聽after the Syrian refugee crisis began six years ago.

国产视频淭he typical international response is to wait,国产视频� he says. 国产视频淭he World Bank did nothing in Lebanon for three years, as almost one million children made this journey from Syria into Lebanon as refugees.

国产视频淲e have no action at all for three years.聽Which means, in a best case scenario, these kids have lost three years of schooling.

国产视频淵ou then scramble together some short-term funding for one term, half a year, a year聽and pretend that it国产视频檚 a systemic response, which it国产视频檚 not.

国产视频淚n effect what you国产视频檙e doing聽is you国产视频檙e writing off the future of a whole generation of refugee kids. You国产视频檙e leaving a country like Lebanon 国产视频� you国产视频檙e turning your back on them聽and saying聽国产视频榊ou go deal with it国产视频�.国产视频�

Kevin says structured funding is the key to overcoming obstacles such as early marriage and child labour聽to get every child in the world into school.

He reveals that, whenever he goes into parts of the world riven by conflict or afflicted by poverty, the people there understand the value of education.

国产视频淭he thing is they国产视频檙e absolutely right,国产视频� he聽adds. 国产视频淲e know that education is the single most powerful catalyst of change. It国产视频檚 what lifts people out of poverty. It国产视频檚 what improves health. It国产视频檚 what creates jobs. It国产视频檚 what drives growth.国产视频�

He also talks聽about Save the Children国产视频檚 three big priorities 国产视频撀爃ealth, nutrition and protection of children in armed conflict.

国产视频淔or me, what international development is about聽is three very fundamental things,国产视频� says Kevin.

国产视频淚t国产视频檚 about human solidarity聽and about recognising that, in a globalised world, we all have responsibilities for each other, that we国产视频檙e all connected.

国产视频淚t国产视频檚 about empathy, and this ability to put yourself in somebody else国产视频檚 shoes, and say 国产视频楾hat could be me国产视频�. Or 国产视频楾hat could be my kid who国产视频檚 getting bombed in Aleppo国产视频�.

国产视频淚t国产视频檚 about caring enough to make a difference.聽I think聽I do have a very strong sense of personal responsibility to try to make a difference.国产视频�

Don国产视频檛 miss an episode 国产视频� subscribe now

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To subscribe via iTunes from this page, hit the iTunes icon above.

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