"Our panel discussion made one thing very clear: real change for children in fragile contexts is possible when courage, partnership and long-term commitment come together." - Ömer Güven, Country Manager Street Child Suisse


We´d like to invite you to see the insights of the event with this graphic:

Key insights from this graphical recording include Street Child’s global impact across more than 20 countries, its integrated approach combining education, child protection, livelihoods, and humanitarian support, and the importance of strong local partnerships in creating sustainable and scalable change. The illustration also highlights Street Child’s achievements since 2008, including supporting over 1.6 million children and working with more than 200 local organisations worldwide.

Moderated by Alexandre Cabaret, Vice President of Partnerships at Devex and Board Member of Street Child Spain, the panel discussion created an open and engaging conversation around the future of education in fragile and conflict affected environments. With over 15 years of experience shaping global conversations in sustainable development and global health, Alexandre guided the discussion with a strong focus on collaboration, innovation, and long term impact.

The discussion began with a personal conversation with Tom Dannatt, who reflected on the beginnings of Street Child and the experiences that inspired its founding. Sharing stories from the field and lessons learned over the years, Tom spoke about the importance of local partnerships, adaptability, and creating sustainable solutions that place communities at the centre of change.

The conversation then expanded into a wider panel discussion featuring experts from the humanitarian, education, and corporate sectors.

Ramya Madhaven brought deep expertise in education policy, evidence, and education in emergencies, drawing from over 15 years of experience across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Her contribution highlighted the importance of evidence based approaches and locally led educational solutions in crisis settings.

Petra Heusser shared insights from nearly two decades of humanitarian work across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Drawing from her experience with NGOs, UNHCR, and UNICEF, she spoke about the urgent need for strong international cooperation and long term commitment in protecting and educating children affected by crisis and displacement.

Manuel Meister added a corporate and transformation focused perspective to the discussion. With more than 20 years of experience across the telecom, industrial, and rail sectors, he reflected on the role businesses can play in supporting sustainable and locally anchored change through collaboration, innovation, and social responsibility initiatives.

Together, the discussion highlighted the importance of cross sector collaboration and the shared responsibility of ensuring that children everywhere have the opportunity to learn, grow, and build a future, regardless of circumstance.

starting eft: Alexandre Cabaret, Petra Heusser, Manuel Meister and Ramya Madhaven