2025: A Year of Impact - UWS

What a year it’s been here at UWS!

As 2025 draws to a close, we want to reflect and celebrate the past year. This year, our work around the world has been made possible by the dedication of teachers, the commitment of communities, the passion of our UWS teams, and the support of every partner and donor. Together, we’ve reached new milestones, opened doors to learning, and created opportunities for children to write their own stories through education. Here are some of the highlights from a year of impact.

January 2025 – March 2025

The year began with partners coming together to celebrate International Education Day, united by the belief that every child deserves access to learning and setting the tone for a year of collaboration, innovation, and impact across UWS programmes worldwide.

In February, as the school year ended in Myanmar, students celebrated their achievements, with 88% passing their national assessments – a testament to their hard work and the dedication of teachers and communities.

The month also saw the launch of our Hands Up For Girls Giving Circle in London, a collective committed to ensuring that every girl, no matter where she’s born, can access her right to education.

March brought a milestone for UWS Nepal, as we gathered educators, changemakers, and municipal leaders in Kathmandu to mark the completion of our UK Aid Match project, which focused on enhancing enrolment and retention across four rural districts. The event featured reflections, showcases of learning, and panel discussions on the future of education in Nepal. The project was officially awarded an ‘A’ by Mannion Daniels for “strong progress, sustainability, and inclusion”. Read the full Impact Report here.

April 2025 – June 2025

In April, UWS Cambodia participated in the 6th National Conference on Transforming Education Paradigm in Phnom Penh, hosted by the NGO Education Partnership. Our team led vital conversations on inclusive and sustainable learning, including panels on school ecosystems, flexible learning for out-of-school children, and fostering inclusive education.

Meanwhile, UWS attended the SKOLL World Forum in Oxford, connecting with global leaders and innovators to share how we’re scaling education impact, from establishing schools in remote areas of Madagascar to partnering with governments in Cambodia and Nepal to deliver national Education Sector Plan

In May, we were thrilled to officially announce Vee Kativhu as a UWS Ambassador. As a UN Young Leader, Youth Empowerment & Girls Education Advocate, Vee has been a passionate supporter of UWS for the past four years, speaking at events, engaging with online campaigns, and visiting our programmes in Cambodia. She champions the rights of young people to access education, and we’re excited to continue working with her to provide life-changing education for children in remote and marginalised communities.

June saw Environment Day celebrations across UWS Nepal schools, with students taking part in tree planting, school clean-ups, and arts & speech competitions on the natural world, reinforcing their commitment to a sustainable, greener future. The month also marked the official launch of new partnerships, signing MoUs with Madi Municipality (Sankhuwasabha) and Pauwadungma & Shadananda Municipalities (Bhojpur) to advance our shared vision of Zero Education Poverty.

July 2025 – September 2025

In July, the UWS Nepal Education team received GESSI training (Gender Equality, Safeguarding, Social Inclusion) to strengthen inclusive education practices in schools. During the school holidays, UWS Nepal ran skill-based classes for adolescent girls across Gulmi, Sankhuwasabha, Bhojpur, and Taplejung districts as part of our girls’ inclusion project in Nepal and Cambodia.

August marked the completion of three new schools in Madagascar, expanding access to quality education along the southwest coast, a region facing significant educational challenges. Additionally, 228 teachers participated in our training events, with an average satisfaction rating of 4.5/5, ensuring strong learning environments across all schools.

In September, we welcomed new Global CEO Graeme Hodge, who shared:“I am humbled and excited to join this global movement. UWS’ mission to ensure all children have access to quality, inclusive education in remote and marginalised communities is not just a cause I believe in – it is work I am innately passionate about.”

We also launched our 2025–2030 Programme Strategy at the UN General Assembly, marking a new chapter of impact. By 2030, UWS aims to triple the number of children attaining foundational skills across UWS and government schools, supporting 260,000 children in marginalised communities.

October 2025 – November 2025

In October, we returned to Claridge’s Hotel, London for our annual Gala. Thanks to incredible generosity, over £585,000 was pledged, enough to build a new school for 800 children in Madagascar and bring life-changing education to thousands more across our programmes. Special thanks to speakers Peter Taylor, Lia Larson, Tim Gallico, Binaya Bogati, Subina Dhungana, our host Rory Bremner, auctioneer Yü-Ge Wang, and headline artist Beverley Knight.

We were also honoured to share UWS’ journey in Navigating Educational Government Partnerships at the Global Schools Forum (GSF) Annual Meeting 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya. Global CEO Graeme Hodge and Senior Programmes Manager Ollie Imray highlighted how UWS’s long-term government partnerships are enabling scalable, sustainable education. 

In November, we hosted the first session of UWSLIVE our new webinar series. Led by Laura Pearce, our Director of Strategic Partnerships, bringing together our global leadership team and supporters to explore our 2025–2030 Programme Strategy and how we’ll achieve Foundational Learning for every child. Panelists Graeme Hodge (Global CEO), Peter Taylor (Executive Chair), Binaya Bogati (Global COO), and Avinash Jha (UWS Nepal Country Director) shared insights on strengthening education systems and the partnerships that will help us get there.

In December, UWS Cambodia will host the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Findings Workshop, bringing together education leaders, teachers, and UWS teams to discuss insights from Early Grade Reading and Mathematics Assessments. The workshop will reflect on student learning outcomes, progress, and gaps to inform better teaching and school practices.

Thank you for being part of this journey

In 2025, we supported 37,937 children across 282 schools, while 133 mothers’ and girls’ clubs championed equal education, and 44 schools successfully transitioned to local ownership – bringing lasting change to communities.

This year has also been shaped by extraordinary events and challenges. In Myanmar, communities recovered from a devastating earthquake in March. In Cambodia, ongoing border conflict with Thailand created uncertainty for learners and schools. In Nepal and Madagascar, youth-led protests highlighted the voices and priorities of the next generations but also caused significant disruption and unrest.

Through it all, our communities, teachers, teams, and supporters have shown remarkable resilience, commitment, and passion for learning. Every milestone reached and every child empowered has been made possible by your unwavering support.

Together, we are building a world with Zero Education Poverty. A world where every child is empowered through education to choose their own future.