FP274

Building the Climate Resilience of Children and Communities through the Education Sector (BRACE)

Building the Climate Resilience of Children and Communities through the Education Sector (BRACE)

This project will strengthen the resilience of educational systems in Cambodia, South Sudan, and Tonga by retrofitting schools with climate-resilient features, integrating early warning systems, and embedding climate risk into education policies and planning. It supports GCF’s ambition to scale up investments in early warning systems and resilient infrastructure in climate-vulnerable sectors, advancing replicable models for systemic adaptation.

Climate change is disrupting education systems in Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States, leading to school closures, higher absenteeism, and increased dropout rates due to rising temperatures, floods, and droughts. Addressing these challenges is essential to protect learning continuity and build long-term resilience for children and communities. 

 The BRACE project will strengthen educational systems by integrating climate resilience into school infrastructure, policy, and planning. It will retrofit schools with climate-smart features, implement early warning systems to reduce disruptions, and support curriculum reform. Ministries of education will be supported to access climate finance and embed education in national climate strategies, while knowledge-sharing platforms will promote learning and replication across countries. 

GCF will provide USD 40.75 million in grant funding to support implementation across Cambodia, South Sudan, and Tonga.  Co-designed with the Global Partnership for Education, BRACE is the Fund’s first education-focused climate resilience initiative. It sets a transformative precedent for integrating climate resilience into educational systems and unlocking global scale-up opportunities. 

 GCF's Project Preparation Facility (PPF) support was deployed to help develop the project. 

Total project value

0.0

Beneficiaries

0.0

Direct
608,193
Indirect
8,640,844
Theme

Adaptation

Result areas

Project timeline

Pipeline

12 Jun 2023  •  753 days

Concept note received

12 Jun 2023

Funding proposal received

21 Oct 2024

Legal opinion on AE's Internal Approval

21 Oct 2024

Cleared by GCF Secretariat

04 Apr 2025

Cleared by iTAP

09 Jun 2025

Approved

03 Jul 2025  •  25 days so far

Approved by GCF Board

03 Jul 2025

FAA executed

03 Jul 2025

Under implementation

To be completed

Two regions

  • Africa
  • Asia-Pacific

Three countries

Three priority groups

  • Least Developed Countries
  • Small Island Developing States
  • African States
USD 0.0
  • Financing
    • Private sector
    • Public sector
  • Size
    • Micro
    • Small
    • Medium
    • Large
GCF40.8mGrantCo-Financing5.0mGrantCo-Financing500.0kGrantCo-Financing500.0kGrantGCF financing 87.2%Co-financing 12.8%

GCF financing

InstrumentAmount
GrantUSD 40,751,264
Total GCF Financing
USD 40,751,264

Co-financing

Co-financerInstrumentAmount
Co-FinancingGrantUSD 4,986,076
Co-FinancingGrantUSD 500,000
Co-FinancingGrantUSD 500,000
Total Co-Financing
USD 5,986,076

GCF Contacts

General media inquiries

GCF Communications
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Request for information

GCF Information Disclosure
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Project complaints and grievances

GCF Independent Redress Mechanism (IRM)
Phone +82 32 458 6186 (KST)
File a complaint

Integrity issues

GCF Independent Integrity Unity (IIU)
Phone +82 32 458 6714 (KST)
Send e-mail

Entity

Save the Children Australia
Mr Nick Ireland
Primary

Director, Climate Change
Kelley Toole
Secondary

Deputy Director, Climate Change
Phone +61 (0) 426 865 760
kelley.toole@savethechildren.org.au
More contacts

National Designated Authority

South Sudan
Ministry of Environment and Forestry
Mr. Joseph Bartel Primary
Undersecretary
220A Jubek, Juba, SC 29201, Juba, South Sudan
Tonga
Ministry for Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC)
Mr. Sione ‘Akau’ola Primary
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Phone (+676) 28170
folaosi@gmail.com
Ms. Luisa Malolo Secondary
Director of Climate Change, MEIDECC
Cambodia
Ministry of Environment
H.E. Dr. Sophalleth Eang Primary
Minister of Environment
Morodok Decho Building, No. 503, Chamkarmon,, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
H.E. Mr. Paris Chuop Primary
Secretary of State, Ministry of Environment
Phone (+855)17 313 366
chuop.paris@moe.gov.kh
H.E. Dr. Sovuthy Pheav Secondary
Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Environment
Phone ( +855) 16 613 355
pheav.sovuthy@moe.gov.kh
H.E. Mr. Thy Sum Tertiary
Director General, General Directorate of Policy and Strategy, Ministry of Environment
Phone (+855) 16 907 764
sum.thy@moe.gov.kh