Kutupalong classroom

Awards & Recognition

Children on the Edge are proud to have been recognised for our work supporting some of the world's most marginalised children, living in some of the toughest situations.

RACHEL BENTLEY OBE AWARDED HONORARY DOCTORATE FROM UNIVERSITY OF CHICHESTER

On September 17th 2026, our CEO and Co-Founder, Rachel Bentley OBE, was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Education by the University of Chichester. This recognition reflects over three decades of work defending the rights of marginalised children and creating access to education in some of the toughest environments in the world.

Rachel Bentley OBE in doctoral robes for University of Chichester honourary doctorate ceremony

SHAPING UGANDAN EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION POLICY

After being asked to contribute advice on play-based learning for the Ugandan government's new Early Childhood Care and Education Policy 2025, the Children on the Edge team was invited to take part in the April 2026 launch. They were proud to showcase the impact of our innovative play-based early childhood education programme.

Ugandan women in headscarf holds sign at march that reads 'Network for Early Childhood Development Actors'

GLOBAL ACTION FOR RACIAL JUSTICE IN EDUCATION (GARJE) INITIATIVE

We partnered with Oxford University to contribute best practice case studies (regarding our work with mother-tongue education for Rohingya refugee children) to the Global Action for Racial Justice in Education (GARJE) initiative. Our work was selected to be showcased as part of a research and advocacy project that explores anti-racist education initiatives worldwide. The aim of this research, spanning seven years, is to build an evidence base for embedding racial justice in global education policy.

Rohingya girl writes her name in Hanifi script on whiteboard

DIGITAL EDUCATION IN BANGLADESH FEATURED ON ALJAZEERA

Our digital education work for Rohingya refugee children was featured on Al Jazeera in December 2025. They visited the Kutupalong camp in Bangladesh to find out about challenges to the current provision. They filmed some of the classrooms we support and learned about how we are working with the local community to tackle language barriers and provide meaningful education.

Al Jazeera presenter being filmed narrating feature in a Kutupalong refugee camp classroom.

EUROPEAN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION RESEARCH ASSOCIATION (EECERA) ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Focussed on Early Education for All: Celebrating Diversity and Seeking Inclusion, our Early Education Consultant represented our work on play-based learning. This is the largest and most significant Early Childhood Education research conference in Europe, regularly attracting more than 900 research delegates from all over the world. The 2025 conference was hosted in partnership with the Faculty of Education, Comenius University, in Bratislava, Slovakia

Children in Uganda playing with homemade resources outside in a cluster class

GLOBAL PANEL PROJECT - CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY

Children on the Edge were asked to present on their work building resilience in children through education at The Global Panel Project event 'Championing Children's DREAMS in Crisis’. The Global Panel Project is a lifelong learning initiative founded at Pembroke College, University of Cambridge.

Children in Myanmar playing with their teachers outside. Logo - The Global Panel Project

BBC RADIO 4 APPEAL

The BBC Radio 4 Appeal for Children on the Edge was broadcast between October 12–19, 2025, and featured actress Susannah Fielding. The appeal highlighted the charity's work providing education for Rohingya refugee children in Bangladesh, particularly a literacy initiative using their own language, Hanifi.

Rohingya children hold up Rohingya language text books in Kutupalong camp. Text reads 'A BBC Radio 4 Appeal' with BBC Radio 4 logo.

iF Design Social Impact Prize Winner 2025

Children on the Edge was awarded the iF Design Social Impact Prize for our Hanifi literacy programme in Bangladesh. 

Red Dot Design 2024

Our Digital Education Programme in Bangladesh was chosen to be included in the 2024 Social Design Exhibition at the Red Dot Design Museum in Xiamen.

Red Dot design exhibition featuring Children on the Edge

EdTech Winner 2023

Our Digital Education Programme in Bangladesh was chosen by HundrED and the Global EdTech Hub as part of a Spotlight Award in 2023.

Learn more

We have been selected for the Spotlight on Edtech Bangladesh

iF Design Social Impact Prize Winner 2023

Children on the Edge was awarded the iF Design Social Impact Prize for our Digital Education programme in Bangladesh. 

Learn more

Social Impact Prize 2023 with projector used in Bangladesh classroom

The Big Give Christmas Challenge Winner

​We won the Best International Charity award in the 2022 The Big Give Christmas Challenge Awards after raising £57,638 for our education programme for Rohingya refugee children in  Bangladesh. 

Christmas Challenge Award Winner, best international charity

Mother Theresa Award for Social Justice  2022

In December 2022, Children on the Edge were awarded the Mother Theresa Award for Social Justice on 'Compassion for Refugee children' by the Harmony Foundation in Mumbai, India as part of the Mother Theresa Memorial Awards. 

Rachel Bentley holding Mother Theresa Award

Rachel Bentley Co-founder & CEO Awarded OBE 2022

In June 2022, Rachel Bentley, our CEO and co-founder was awarded an OBE for services to the protection and education of marginalised children worldwide. She received her award at a ceremony at Windsor Castle in March 2023. 

Learn more

Rachel Bentley receiving OBE from HRH Prince William

iF Design Social Impact Prize Winner 2022

Our Cluster Learning Approach in Uganda was awarded an iF Design Social Impact Prize in August 2022, competing against 480 other entries from 75 countries. 

Social Impact Prize 2022 Cluster groups in Uganda

TheirWorld Education Innovation Awards 2021

Children on the Edge were one of five winners at the 2021 Theirworld Education Innovation Awards for our early years education programme for Congolese refugee children in Kyaka II settlement, Uganda.

Theirworld Education Innovation Awards 2021

Tech4Good Education Award 2020

Our digital education programme in Bangladesh was awarded the Lenovo Education Award ​at the 2020 AbilityNet Tech4Good awards, recognising outstanding digital achievement in education, in a field of 400 entries.

Ability Net Tech 4 Good Awards with smiling boy and textbook

HundrED Global Collection 2019

In 2019, our education programme for Rohingya refugee children in Bangladesh was announced as 'one of the 100 most inspiring K12 innovations across the world' by HundrED.

hundrED Spotlight Award

Promising Practices in Refugee Education 2017 Case Study

In 2017, our work providing low profile education to Rohingya refugee children was chosen as one of 20 projects selected as examples of best practice in refugee education and was presented during the UN General Assembly as part of Promising Practices in Refugee Education, a joint global initiative.

Read the Full Report >

Promising Practices in Refugee Education - refugee camp in Bangladesh

The Times Christmas Appeal 2017

Children on the Edge was selected by The Times to feature as part of their 2017 Christmas Appeal. The newspaper showcased our work providing humanitarian assistance and education to thousands of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

Rogingya refugees carrying bags as they walk

BOOKS AND JOURNAL ARTICLES

  • Child Rights, Co-Creation and Empowerment: A Pilot Project to Explore the Effectiveness of a Play Provision Assessment Tool in Kyaka II refugee settlement, Uganda and playgroups across Botswana.  Laxton, D. (2025).

  • Developing an assessment toolbox, Laxton, D., Ndlovu, S. and Handa Ram, P. (2025). Early Years Educator, 24 (17). S1-S3. ISSN 2052-4617

  • Transforming lives: play-based learning programmes in emergency settings - Kachin State, Laxton, D. and Ndlovu, S. (2025). Early Years Educator, 24 (16). pp. 1-2. ISSN 2052-4617

  • Transforming lives: play-based learning programmes in emergency settings - Kyaka Refugee Settlement, Laxton, D. and Ndlovu, S. (2025). Early Years Educator, 24 (14). pp. 1-2. ISSN 2052-4617

  • Global Refugee Crisis: Focus on the Child, Laxton, D. & Cooper, L. (2024) In Kurowski, A. & Lyndon, S., Contemporary Issues and the 21st Century Child. London: Sage

  • Play in extremis, Laxton, D., Cooper, L. & Ndlovu, S. (In Press). In Waters-Davies, J. (2022). Introduction to play. (2nd Ed). London: Sage. To be published in 2026. Sarah Ndlovu from Children on the Edge added a new case study to the chapter based on COTE play spaces in Kachin

  • Delivering Education to Refugee Children Through Digital, Global Perspectives, Cambridge Lower Secondary Stage 9 Book 29-30 (2022) Children on the Edge case study used in Chapter 2, Unit 2 'Improving Analysis and Evaluation’.

  • A Modern Guide to Refugee Education, Comparative Perspectives and Innovative Practices, Chapter on how we set up Cluster Learning in Uganda. Written by Sarah Ndlovu, Esther Smitheram & Bea Simpson (2025)

  • Play-based Learning Programmes in Emergency Settings, Transforming lives, article written by Sarah Ndlovu & Debra Laxton (2025)

  • Delivering Education to Refugee Children Through Digital, Global Perspectives, Cambridge Lower Secondary Stage 9 Book 29-30 (2022) 

  • Children on the Edge case study used in Chapter 2, Unit 2 of 'Improving Analysis and Evaluation'

  • A Sustainable Start for the Youngest Congolese Refugees in Uganda, Childhood Education, 97:4, 6-15, ​Esther Smitheram (2021) 

  • Bringing education to children living in refugee camps and other challenging circumstances requires sustainable education solutions. Read the Article >> (pages 6-15)​

  • Connecting Beyond the Camps: Education goes digital in Kutupalong, Childhood Education, 97:2, 6-19, Esther Smitheram (2021) Celebrating worthy efforts of creative educators working to reach marginalized children around the world, including children living in refugee camps. Read the Article >> (pages 6-19)

  • Accountability in Everybody's Interest, The South Asia Disasters.net Journal, 184, 27-28, Esther Smitheram (2019) How community ownership creates resilience. The journal is a joint effort by Accountable Now and AIDMI. The case study we contributed covers our original Rohingya education project in Bangladesh through to the refugee crisis response. Read the Article >> (pages 27-28)

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Throughout the past year, we have supported communities to provide education and protection to over 15,500 children living in some of the toughest situations around the world.

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