Fiscal Year Deadline September 30 marks the end of the Federal Fiscal Year, and Congress is currently reviewing a new rescission proposal from the White House. This proposal requests approval to cancel $5 billion in foreign assistance funding that had already been authorized in previous fiscal years. We are actively working with partners behind the scenes to oppose this request and continue advocating for the United States to honor its commitment to global education programs. On September 18, GCE-US will host a members-only briefing to share the latest updates on funding for global education. The session will cover the potential impact of rescissions, ongoing negotiations for Fiscal Year 2026, and early prospects for Fiscal Year 2027. If you are not yet a member, we invite you to join us and be part of this important conversation. | |
From Capitol Hill to Community Change Our Youth Advocates recently returned from an inspiring Youth Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill, where they brought their passion and research to the heart of policymaking. Equipped with insights on global education equity and its connection to national security, they met with Congressional staff, witnessed a live markup session, and saw firsthand that their voices matter in shaping policy. The impact was undeniable: every participant reported a boost in confidence and a renewed commitment to advocacy. One month later, each advocate is developing a personalized community action plan to extend the reach of their experience and drive meaningful change at the local level. | |
Alumni Spotlight - From Youth Advocate to Candidate Melina Hettiaratchi ('13) is running for State Representative in Kentucky’s 31st District, building on an advocacy journey that began as a college sophomore in the GCE-US Youth Engagement Program. It was there she first discovered the power of civic engagement: “No one ever told me I could call congressional representatives and advocate for change,” she recalls. Since then, Hettiaratchi has served as both an educator and a lawyer but ultimately realized she wanted to be closer to the decision-making table. Now, she’s stepping into that role herself—championing fully funded public education and elevating teachers as the professionals they are. | |
Member Spotlight: Sightsavers Sightsavers is an international development organization focused on disability rights with 24 education programs across 12 countries in Africa and Asia, championing every child’s right to an inclusive, quality education. Their work helps address the inequality faced by the world’s 240 million children with disabilities, who in many countries are more than twice as likely to be out of school as their peers without disabilities.
Sightsavers’ inclusive education portfolio ranges from early childhood education to tertiary education. Their approach is to strengthen existing education and governance systems rather than developing parallel ones, which is why they provide strategic and technical support to ministries of education. They place a strong emphasis on teacher and pre-service training, so that the workforce has the necessary skills to deliver inclusive education. In Zambia, they developed a low-cost inclusive education model from early childhood through to vocational education and we are expanding this to a whole province.
They also support schools and communities by collaborating with education providers, families, organizations of persons with disabilities and community members. In Malawi, their programs identify the most effective ways of supporting children with disabilities’ wellbeing and foundational literacy and numeracy skills. | |
