In 2021, Global Ehsan Relief deepened its commitment to education as a cornerstone of lasting change. From revitalizing the historic Madrasah Ibnu Sina in Aceh to opening new learning centers in Cambodia and Syria, GER invested in safe, accessible education for vulnerable communities. Mobile schools reached displaced children in Jordan and Lebanon, while healing spaces like Bangladesh’s Drop In Centre nurtured both minds and hearts. Even as COVID-19 continued to affect lives globally, GER balanced urgent relief with long-term impact.
In Indonesia's lush countryside, the historic Madrasah Ibnu Sina, named after the pioneering Muslim physician and philosopher found new life under GER's stewardship. Students who had previously studied under leaking roofs now entered renovated classrooms equipped with modern learning materials. "Ibn Sina himself believed knowledge was the path to enlightenment," remarked the school's principal during the transition ceremony. "Today, we honour his legacy by strengthening this institution for future generations."
Cambodia's Mahad Al Ehsan opened its doors for the first time, its freshly painted walls and new desks representing hope for a community still healing from historical trauma. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, an elderly survivor of the Khmer Rouge era watched his grandchildren enter the school. "Education was once taken from us," he said softly. "Now it returns as our greatest gift to the future."
Innovation continued in Lebanon and Jordan where the School In A Bus and Mobile School programs reached children in transient refugee communities. These educational lifelines traveled between settlements, bringing consistency and curriculum to students who had known only disruption. "The day the school bus arrives is the best day of the week," shared 10-year-old Yusuf, rushing to claim his favourite seat by the window of the converted vehicle where blackboards and bookshelves had replaced passenger seating.
In Syria's war-affected regions, the Mahed Nur Girls Education Centre provided safe education for young women, many of whom had missed years of schooling due to conflict. "When bombs fall, education feels like a luxury," explained 15-year-old Fatima, carefully completing her science homework. "But our teachers show us it's actually a necessity, perhaps our most powerful tool for rebuilding."
Meanwhile, in Bangladesh's sprawling refugee camps, the Drop In Centre became a haven for children traumatised by displacement. Here, education blended with psychological support, creating spaces where learning could happen alongside healing. Art therapy sessions revealed children's hopes and fears through drawings that progressed from scenes of violence to images of future possibilities - a visual testament to resilience nurtured through compassionate education.
Throughout 2021, as COVID-19 continued to disrupt communities worldwide, GER maintained its emergency relief operations while simultaneously investing in these long-term educational infrastructures, demonstrating that immediate aid and sustainable development could advance together, even amidst ongoing crisis.
In a year still marked by global crisis, we chose to build minds, futures, and hope. From restoring a historic madrasah in Indonesia to launching mobile schools for refugee children in Jordan and Lebanon, Global Ehsan Relief brought education to the heart of healing. Girls in Syria found safety in learning. Children in Bangladesh found therapy in art. And even in the face of COVID-19, our mission never paused. It only grew stronger. Because when we educate, we empower.
The Year In Reflection: 2021
In boardrooms and field offices across GER's network, staff spoke of 2021 not as a year of mere expansion but as a period of deepening commitment to the organization's foundational belief: that education represents the most powerful form of long-term humanitarian investment, with returns measured not in dollars but in transformed human potential.
