The 'Little Ripples' project

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It has been a joy to work alongside so many women dedicated to improving the futures of their community's youngest children. Every child deserves to have access to safe spaces to play and learn in; and not only does Little Ripples provide safety and structure, it also offers opportunities for children to simply be children and experience the joy of childhood. Every time I visit a refugee camp in Chad, I hear multiple people asking for more Little Ripples centers to be opened. That tells me that the program is working and is highly valued by the community.
iACT_LOGO
Felicia Lee
Senior Manager, Global Programs
What the judges said

The 2026 judging panel said it was heartening to see a project from the troubled, remote difficult-to-reach area of eastern Chad. They particularly liked the fact that the project was refugee-led within the refugee camp community – training the mothers to become teachers – while ensuring the camps were on board. They also noted the project’s “joyful approach” and impressive results, particularly in its work with very young children as well as the project’s built-in capacity for scale and empathy-based leadership, with 175 staff and volunteers having so far trained 1,975 teachers.

What the particpants say

“A tree without fruit only has shade but a tree full of fruit benefits everyone.” – mother of recent graduate describing Little Ripples
 
“I am lucky to have two children in the program and I wish there were more (Little Ripples) schools for all the children.” – parent of Little Ripples student
 
“Before the program, [my daughter] was shy, would cry a lot, and refused to help out; but now she is open, helpful, and gathers with others.” – mother of Little Ripples student
 
“Before going to the program, [my nephew] was always shouting and loud; now he is calm. He used to fight with children in the road but now he teaches those children what he has learned in class.” – aunt of Little Ripples student
 
“The children say the food is different from the food at home and that it is delicious.” – mother of Little Ripples student
 
“I like my preschool so much.” – Little Ripples student
 
“I like my teachers because they play with us.” – Little Ripples student
 
“Little Ripples is now one of the most popular and effective programs in the camp. The community is fully invested in it, and they’re proud to see their children thriving and learning.” – Program coordinator (a member of the refugee community in Chad)
 
“I have seen and heard firsthand how little Ripples not only impacts the children in the program but also the teachers, the caregivers, and the siblings. I have listened to stories of positive changes in the children. When visiting the preschool centres, I have witnessed the joy of children learning through play; and when walking in the refugee camps alongside the teachers, I have seen how they are respected as leaders.” – Program volunteer (in the United States)
 
“Little Ripples has helped children become more sociable with each other, with their families, and with the wider community. It provides children a safe and secure environment. It fosters increased affection and harmony between the teachers, and we have also learned to interact effectively with children of diverse backgrounds and personalities. The salaries we received help us improve our living conditions.” – Little Ripples educator
 
“At Little Ripples, the children learn mutual respect. They come to understand that, despite human diversity, every individual possesses inherent rights – including the right to equality, the right to education, the right to live with dignity, and the right to freedom of expression.” – Little Ripples educator
 
“I have gained skills and experience, and the program has taught me how to interact with children and the community. It has also provided me financial support for my living expenses. Little Ripples is full of tenderness, love, and respect.” – Little Ripples educator

The Other 2026 Winners and Finalists

Ockenden International’s five cash prizes recognise and reward innovative projects that deliver evidential self-reliance to refugees and/or displaced people, the defining principle of Ockenden International since its inception as the Ockenden Venture in 1951. The five cash awards are open to projects or programmes focused on Internally Displaced People (IDPs)/refugee self-reliance anywhere in the world. The other seven 2026 open prize contenders (with the other four winners italicised) are:

  • The eponymously named Daughters Rising project in Chiang Mai, Thailand empowers at-risk ethnic minority and refugee women and girls from Myanmar and Thailand through education, job training, emergency aid, and independence programs by tackling exploitation and inequality. It helps them find safety, skills, and self-sufficiency to break cycles of vulnerability and lead dignified, self-reliant lives.
  • Equal Legal Aid, Greece, for its project ‘Access to asylum and strategic legal aid for displaced people in northern Greece’, which the judges agreed was a “solid application providing legal clinics at five locations as well as telephone hotlines. It’s providing an essential service, doing important work for refugees including support for victims of gender violence.” Equal Legal Aid they said has “proven effective” in giving refugees a starting point in dealing with the bureaucratic and social complexities of their new lives in an area with no government support or legal infrastructure. The project, which includes 22 refugee volunteers, has so far helped 3,792 refugees.
  • Hope Foundation for Women and Children in Bangladesh’s project in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, ‘From Refugee to Health Worker: Building Self-Reliance among Rohingya Girls’ empowers displaced communities through healthcare, education, and training. Its Girls Health Aid Program equips young Rohingya women with medical and leadership skills, fostering self-reliance, employment, and improved community health while reducing dependence on aid.
  • Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights’ ‘IT & Play (Toy) Bus – Mobile Support for Displaced Children and Youth’ project provides digital training, psychosocial support, and creative spaces, promoting healing, skills development, and independence, particularly for Yazidi and displaced youth recovering from conflict and trauma in Iraq and Syria.
  • Maya Vakfi (Foundation) in Adiyaman, Türkiye, conducts the project ‘Empowering Early Years: Enhancing Early Childhood Development for Refugee Children and Caregivers in Earthquake Affected Communities’ by empowering disadvantaged Syrian children and families through psychosocial support, education, and community programs following the devastating 2023 earthquakes.
  • Save Ukraine Foundation, in the Kyiv region, northern Ukraine, operates the ‘Hope and Healing Center’, providing comprehensive psychological and social assistance to Ukrainian children rescued from Russia and from Russian-occupied territories. The judging panel said it was an “impressive application borne of horrendous circumstances offering psychological support to clearly-disturbed children who have been kidnapped and returned” to Ukraine. The judges were impressed by the provision of holistic and bespoke care “ensuring that the children are given the best chance of rehabilitation and reintegration.” The 14 members of staff have helped rehabilitate 216 children.
  • Tumaini Letu, is a refugee-led organisation based in Dzaleka Refugee Camp, Dowa, Malawi founded in 2012. Since 2014, its flagship project, the annual Tumaini Festival has used music, dance, and the arts to promote refugee dignity, inclusion, and self-reliance. The judges singled it out for “an unapologetic celebration of refugees’ talents and contributions” as well as the fact that the festival was started by refugees.” They were also surprised that it is the only festival located in a refugee camp – and one that was once a prison. The judges said: “It plainly – and aurally – integrates community.” They noted that the event has also sparked market opportunities for the Camp’s refugees, a reliable way to develop self-reliance.” They admired its positive effect on morale of the community and the 5,400 jobs for people in the Camp the festival has generated, invoking a deep sense of pride, hope and joy by focussing its activity on the creative and practical.” The project is managed by 15 staff and 10 volunteers.
The three UK Prize finalists (in alphabetical order) and their projects, with the winner in italics:
  • Hopscotch Women’s Centre, Camden, London, for its ‘Hopscotch Afghan Refugee Project (HARP)’, which aids Afghan refugees, offering language learning, community building, and confidence workshops was the standout UK project this year. “An amazing initiative,” the judges said because it “promotes a thoughtful and holistic approach to supporting Afghan families – particularly, mothers, the most vulnerable among resettled Afghans.” The project’s success in fostering vital connections with local statutory and voluntary organisations benefit the whole community, while its focus on childcare allows women attending their sessions to engage more freely with the initiatives. One thousand, six hundred and forty six people have so far been helped by the project, which is run by seven staff and six volunteers.
  • HostNation conducts its ‘Refugee Friendship Project’ in Greater London, Greater Manchester and Tyneside (Newcastle and Gateshead). HostNation is a volunteer-led charity connecting refugees and asylum seekers with local volunteer befrienders to ease isolation, build confidence, and foster friendships. Through shared activities and social support, it helps newcomers integrate, improve English, and feel part of the community.
  • The Launchpad Collective (TLC)‘s project ‘Led by Lived Experience: Unlocking Potential – Pathways to Dignity and Self-Reliance’ operates UK-wide supporting refugees to rebuild their lives through training, education, and mentoring. By improving skills, confidence, and employability, TLC supports refugees to move from exclusion to empowerment – restoring dignity and creating genuine pathways to sustainable work and independence.