Giving Compass' Take:

• Angelina Jolie writes a powerful op-ed for CNN and looks to the international community for more investment in tools such as education for refugees. 

• What are the challenges in helping refugee populations? Why is it hard to create access to proper education systems? 

• Learn more about what donors can do in response to the refugee crisis. 

Angelina Jolie is concerned about the increasing number of refugee children missing out on an education. The award-winning actress penned an op-ed for CNN Wednesday, in response to an alarming report stating 4 million refugee children go without schooling, from the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR.

Jolie starts the op-ed by asking readers to stop feeling hopeless and focus on how the global refugee crisis opens a door for change.

“Refugees themselves are not passively waiting for help, but are actively searching for ways to be part of the recovery of their countries. Education is a key to helping them to do this,” Jolie writes.

In Wednesday’s op-ed, Jolie recounts meeting two Syrian girls whose access to education changed the course of their lives. She begs readers to stop viewing refugees as one hopeless group and focus instead on their individual potential.

War-torn countries face the risk of losing entire educated generations, since conflicts often last longer than the duration of childhood, Jolie points out. She emphasizes how important it is to invest in refugee education, as it helps children become self-sufficient and support their country’s future stability.

Jolie isn’t convinced the international community is doing its best to end conflicts and maintain peace. She stresses the importance of giving refugees the tools they need. Jolie is requesting more support for countries in developing regions, where 92% of the world’s school-age refugees live, in order to make them a part of national education systems.

Read the full article about Angelina Jolie's efforts to help refugees by Leah Rodriguez at Global Citizen