Children on the Edge
Children on the Edge is a UK-registered charity founded in 1990 that delivers community-led education and child protection programmes for over 15,500 marginalised children in refugee camps and conflict zones across Bangladesh, Myanmar, Uganda, and Afghanistan.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersChichester, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Children on the Edge does
Children on the Edge is a UK-registered charity (No. 1101441) founded in 1990 by Rachel Bentley OBE and the late Dame Anita Roddick, operating from Chichester, West Sussex, to deliver education and child protection services for marginalised children in refugee camps, conflict zones, and marginalised communities. The organisation currently supports over 15,500 children across Bangladesh, Myanmar, Uganda, and Afghanistan, engaging 24,000+ community members and providing humanitarian support to 10,000+ people in active war zones. Its operating model is community-led: programmes are delivered through local implementing partners, volunteer Child Protection Teams, Parent Champions, and trained community facilitators, with the Cluster Learning Model serving as a replicable framework for early childhood education in displacement contexts.
The core product portfolio comprises Early Childhood Development programmes, a Digital Education Programme using portable handheld projectors to deliver video lessons in the Rohingya Hanifi script (reaching ~6,000 students across Kutupalong, Bhasan Char, and Cox's Bazar), Child Protection Team deployments in Uganda's Jinja and Karamoja regions, Emergency Response operations, and the Moja Kids digital newsletter platform (expanded to India in 2023). Proprietary educational content developed with Rohingya community input has demonstrated 78% better learning outcomes versus Burmese-language instruction. Strategic partnerships include Artolution (collaborative arts), Afghanistan Education Action (online education for Afghan girls, 862 daily students, 90% female), Chao Foundation and Transparent Fish Fund (Kachin State early childhood education), and historical alignment with The Body Shop at Home (1990-2025, £3.6 million raised). The organisation also contributed to Uganda's Prevention and Prohibition of Human Sacrifice Act 2021 through five years of advocacy.
Revenue is generated entirely through philanthropic streams: individual donations (one-time and recurring via website, JustGiving, BACS, postal cheques), fundraising events (London Landmarks Half Marathon, community challenges, school fundraising), trust and foundation grants, corporate partnerships (historically The Body Shop at Home, currently Oriflame UK), and legacy gifts. Pre-set donation tiers (£10, £25, £50) and a stated efficiency ratio of 87p per £1 to children and communities frame the value proposition. A small UK team of 1-10 employees supports international operations through partner organisations rather than direct delivery.
Children on the Edge firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Children on the Edge
- Legal name
- Children on the Edge
- Website
- https://childrenontheedge.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Children on the Edge is a UK-registered charity founded in 1990 that delivers community-led education and child protection programmes for over 15,500 marginalised children in refugee camps and conflict zones across Bangladesh, Myanmar, Uganda, and Afghanistan.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Children on the Edge industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Humanitarian Education and Child Protection Services
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (611710), Child Care Services (624410)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Education in Emergencies (EiE) & Safe Schools (BPADAKAJ), Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Safeguarding) (BPADAHAF), Developmental Therapy / Early Childhood Special Instruction (EDACAFAG)
Keywords
Where Children on the Edge is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chichester
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Children on the Edge business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individual supporters, primarily through website, JustGiving, and direct payment methods
- Fundraising Events: Income from community fundraising events, challenge events, school fundraising, and individual fundraisers
- Trusts, Foundations & Philanthropy: Grant funding from charitable trusts and foundations supporting specific programmes
- Corporate & Brand Partnerships: Partnership income from corporate supporters including The Body Shop (historically), Oriflame UK, and other brand partnerships
- Legacies: Gifts in wills from supporters leaving bequests to support future work
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Donation/ grant-funded | Pay-as-you-go | Fixed donation amounts for one-time giving |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Children on the Edge product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Children on the Edge is a UK-registered charity that delivers education and child protection services for marginalized children in refugee camps, conflict zones, and marginalized communities across Bangladesh, Myanmar, Uganda, and Afghanistan. Its core offerings include community-led Early Childhood Development centres, a Digital Education Programme using handheld projectors with video lessons in mother-tongue Rohingya (Hanifi script), Child Protection Teams, the Cluster Learning Model, and emergency humanitarian response in active war zones. The organization reaches over 15,500 children annually through locally-staffed and locally-run programmes funded by individual donations, trust and foundation grants, corporate partnerships, and legacies.
Product overview
Children on the Edge is a child rights organisation that provides education and protection services for marginalised children living in tough situations. Their core offerings include Early Childhood Development programmes (community-led ECD centres), a Digital Education Programme (video-based lessons via projectors), Rohingya Language Education using the Hanifi script, Child Protection Teams, Emergency Response, and the Cluster Learning Model. They also operate Moja Kids (digital newsletter platform) and partner with Afghanistan Education Action for online education. The organisation currently supports over 15,500 children across Bangladesh, Myanmar, Uganda, and Afghanistan.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Education Services for Marginalised Children
Quantifiable outcome
- 78% better learning outcomes for children taught in Hanifi Rohingya language compared to Burmese instruction
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Children on the Edge
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Children on the Edge technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Children on the Edge partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.
- Oriflame UKminorNew partnership with global beauty and wellness company to support fundraising through JustGiving campaign.
- ArtolutioncoreUS-based non-profit that trains Rohingya refugee artists to facilitate collaborative arts programmes in camps. Over 40 trained artists working with 2,000+ children on murals and creative expression.
- Afghanistan Education ActioncorePartner charity formed from Children on the Edge's support of Herat Online School. Children on the Edge provided operational framework, secured UK bank account, and supports fundraising. Currently supports 862 daily students, 90% female.
- The Body Shop at Homeflagship34-year partnership beginning in 1990 when co-founded with Dame Anita Roddick. The Body Shop at Home raised £3.6 million through consultants, events, conferences, and product sales. Includes annual play scheme trips to programmes.
- Mukti Cox's BazarcoreLocal partner organisation implementing Rohingya education programmes in Kutupalong camp since 2018. Project Officers like Bristy Dey work directly with Children on the Edge.
- Network for Early Childhood Development Actors Uganda (NECDA)coreUgandan network that curated ECCE Models Marketplace at policy launch. Children on the Edge Africa joined Technical Working Group for ECCE Policy 2025.
- The Pink Pub Football ClubminorLocal football club raising funds through challenge events in memory of James Palmer-Bullock. Raised over £25,000 for Children on the Edge.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Children on the Edge competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- UNICEF UK: UK arm of the UN children's fund, working on education in emergencies, child protection and early childhood development globally. Highly comparable thematic mandate; serves as both an indirect collaborator and a much larger competitor for institutional funding in the same programme countries.
- Plan International UK: Major UK-based child-rights and girls' education organisation operating across many of the same geographies as Children on the Edge. Comparable for child protection, girls' education, and refugee programming, but at materially larger scale and broader portfolio.
- UNICEF (global): The UN children's agency is the dominant institutional actor in the same child-rights and education-in-emergencies space as Children on the Edge, particularly in Rohingya response and Afghan education access. Sets standards and partners with smaller NGOs in the same delivery geographies.
Direct peers
- Street Child: UK-registered charity focused on education for marginalised children in conflict-affected and refugee contexts, with programmes in countries including Bangladesh and Uganda. Comparable for education-in-emergencies delivery and UK-led, founder-influenced operating model.
- War Child UK: UK-registered charity working with children affected by war, focused on education, protection, and psychosocial support in conflict zones. Highly comparable as a similarly-sized UK-based child-rights nonprofit operating in refugee and conflict contexts including Bangladesh and Uganda.
- Right To Play: International nonprofit using play-based learning to educate and protect displaced and marginalised children. Directly comparable for community-led, play-based early childhood programming and refugee education methodology.
- Concern Worldwide UK: UK-registered humanitarian organisation delivering education and livelihoods programmes in conflict-affected and refugee contexts, including in Bangladesh and Uganda. Comparable for emergency response and community-led programming, with similar annual revenue scale.
- Choose Love (Help Refugees): UK-registered charity supporting refugees and displaced people globally, with significant work in Cox's Bazar and Rohingya response. Directly comparable fundraising model, beneficiary base, and UK-rooted brand targeting the same individual-donor segment.
Regional players
- Refugee Council: UK-based refugee support organisation with comparable mission around protection and rights of displaced populations. While more focused on the UK asylum context, it is a natural peer for UK donor audiences interested in refugee children's rights.
Others
- Save the Children UK: Large UK-registered child-rights charity delivering education and protection programmes in conflict-affected countries including Bangladesh, Myanmar, Uganda and Afghanistan. Operates in the same geographies and beneficiary segments as Children on the Edge but at much greater scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Children on the Edge social profiles
Digital presenceChildren on the Edge financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Children on the Edge leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Children on the Edge subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Children on the Edge funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Children on the Edge M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Children on the Edge
What does Children on the Edge do?
Children on the Edge is a UK-registered charity that delivers education and child protection services for marginalized children in refugee camps, conflict zones, and marginalized communities across Bangladesh, Myanmar, Uganda, and Afghanistan. Its core offerings include community-led Early Childhood Development centres, a Digital Education Programme using handheld projectors with video lessons in mother-tongue Rohingya (Hanifi script), Child Protection Teams, the Cluster Learning Model, and emergency humanitarian response in active war zones. The organization reaches over 15,500 children annually through locally-staffed and locally-run programmes funded by individual donations, trust and foundation grants, corporate partnerships, and legacies.
Is Children on the Edge a public or private company?
Children on the Edge is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Children on the Edge founded?
Children on the Edge was founded in 1990. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Children on the Edge based?
Children on the Edge is headquartered in Chichester, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Children on the Edge make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are fundraising Events, trusts, Foundations & Philanthropy, corporate & Brand Partnerships and legacies.
Who are Children on the Edge's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are UNICEF UK, Plan International UK and UNICEF (global). Direct peers are Street Child, War Child UK, Right To Play, Concern Worldwide UK and Choose Love (Help Refugees). Refugee Council is listed as a regional player. Save the Children UK is listed as an others.
Does Children on the Edge have an API?
No public API is recorded for Children on the Edge.
What industry is Children on the Edge in?
Children on the Edge's product category is Humanitarian Education and Child Protection Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGABAG, Child Protection & Child Rights, with a secondary code of BPADAKAJ, Education in Emergencies (EiE) & Safe Schools. Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8300.