Little Ripples is an innovative, early childhood education program that trains and employs refugee women to support the social-emotional, cognitive, and physical development of children ages 3 to 5 through play-based learning.

Guided by international experts in education, early childhood development, leadership, mindfulness, trauma recovery, and mental health, the Little Ripples curriculum provides a state-of-the-art foundation for daily activities and is adapted and culturally-inspired by the refugee women teachers.

Little Ripples maximizes the resources at hand in refugee communities by partnering with families to host in-home centers called Little Ripples Ponds. Ponds have two teachers and serve up to 45 children each. Education Directors–refugee women nominated by their teacher peers–provide support to up to four Ponds, and lead the teachers in weekly meetings. The daily meal, essential to the development and learning of children, is locally sourced, prepared, and served by the host mother and one other neighboring woman.

In refugee camps, women and girls make up more than 50% of the population, yet men hold the majority of formal employment positions. Further, women do not have equal participation in decision-making. Through Little Ripples, women are employed, attend three-to-four iACT Teacher Trainings a year, and receive weekly leadership and human rights training, facilitated by the Little Ripples Education Directors, to increase their confidence and capacity.