Learning in the Darkest Places
How Marwa Zahr and her program bring education — and hope — where schools no longer stand
This episode is a special one for me.
For a long time, I’ve wanted to explore a question that feels both uncomfortable and essential:
What does education mean when the world around you collapses?
My guest, Marwa Zahr, grew up in Lebanon amid war and uncertainty. Today, she leads educational programs for children living through conflict as Implementation and Practitioner Lead at World Child Alliance, and she’s a 2024 Yidan Prize laureate for her impact on global education.
Our conversation is one of those that stays with you long after recording. Marwa shared stories that cut through statistics and headlines — like this one:
“When I can read, no one can lie to me.”
A single sentence from a refugee girl that explains literacy better than any white paper ever could.
We talked about what it means to learn in crisis, how digital education can restore normalcy when nothing else is stable, and why hope — even when fragile — is a form of strength.
This topic isn’t popular with algorithms. It’s quiet, complex, and human.
But it matters deeply.
If this story resonates with you, please consider sharing it — so Marwa’s message can reach more people who believe, as we do, that education is not a luxury, but an act of resistance and hope.
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