For some children, getting to school isn’t just hard – it’s life-threatening. They might have to cross a fast-moving river where people have been swept away, step over venomous snakes in their path, or climb a flight of stairs when they rely on a wheelchair.

These aren’t made-up scenarios. They are among the many real-life risks that millions of children are forced to face each day just to reach a classroom.

In a powerful photo series created with Plan International, award-winning photographer Chris de Bode captured how children and their communities – even in the face of conflict, disaster, or poverty – hold on to education.

This series is a tribute to a child’s unwavering drive to learn, no matter the costs.

As he looks back at the School Matters project, de Bode says, “I think about the challenges children face – violence, poverty, natural disasters – and yet they want to learn. That’s what impressed me most.

“One of my favourite images is of a boy crossing a river daily to reach school. Sometimes the current is so strong he can’t cross. Coming from a culture where school was seen as boring, this struck me deeply.”

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Monsoon flooding blocks school access in Peru

Stalin is 14 and lives in Peru’s Piura region, where every rainy season turns his route to school into a gamble.

In March and April, the river near his village swells and spills over, cutting off the only path to his school. Some days he wades through waist-deep water. Other days, the current is too strong, and the only way across is to pay men on motorbikes who wait along the riverbank. It’s a cost his family can’t afford.

When the floods happen, Stalin isn’t just missing school; he’s also cut off from relatives, food, and basic services. Storms knock out cellular signals, making online classes impossible too.

“It’s difficult to understand the homework when I miss class,” he says. “I fall behind my classmates. I’m the only one who must cross the river. I feel like I’m missing too many classes. It’s frustrating.”

Still, he refuses to give up. Stalin spends extra hours on math, because his dream is to become a civil engineer who can build stronger houses and a bridge so it’s easier for other children to get to school, even when it rains.

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In Colombia, education is threatened by poverty

In Chocó, Colombia, 15-year-old Alex walks along garbage-filled streets to reach school.

In a region where nearly 80% of the population lives in poverty, many children skip school to work at the markets or on boats along the river. Alex, however, refuses.

“Not all kids here go to school,” he says. “I just want to keep learning.”

When it floods, water seeps into his home, carrying trash and mud. To keep his shoes clean for school, he covers them in plastic bags. Like Stalin, Alex wants to become a civil engineer so he can build his family’s home on higher ground and replace the floor with cement so water can’t seep through their house.

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Gang violence makes schools unsafe in Ecuador

Samy has learned to take comfort in security drills, but she still wishes going to school felt safe. In Ecuador, rising gang violence has sparked fears, with reports of criminals entering schools.

Samy, who attends school in the suburbs, finds this situation distressing. The fences and walls around her school are crumbing, and not long ago, thieves broke in and took everything from textbooks to toilet paper.

“I want there to be more control over who can enter the school grounds,” says Samy. "One child was attacked in school. I felt frightened.”

Samy lives with her brother and other relatives while her parents, who are in the United States, work to reunite their family. Until that day comes, her aunt helps her feel safe by waiting at the school gate every afternoon to walk her home.

“I can find my way to school on my own, but it is better when she’s here,” she says.

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In Bolivia, inclusive education remains out of reach

Gael grips the railing with both hands while he climbs the school stairs. Each step is slow, deliberate – an achievement that comes after years of surgeries and therapy.

He’s only six, and not long ago, he navigated the world in a wheelchair. Now he can stand and walk short distances, but school is still a challenge. There are no ramps, no accessible bathrooms, and little support for children with disabilities.

“I wish there were ramps,” he says. “I can’t go to the toilet by myself.”

His family struggles to pay his medical bills. Yet Gael pushes forward, determined to learn. Each day he faces those stairs, driven by a simple wish to be part of school life.

“This was the only picture I had to redo,” reveals de Bode. “He was full of energy – almost too much – and during the first shoot [at a park], I felt overwhelmed. His family was around, and I couldn’t capture what I wanted. Later, I decided to go back and photograph him at his school, where he faced real challenges like climbing stairs.

“When he arrived, he was calmer, and we connected. The photo we created together truly expressed his struggles and determination,” de Bode explains, noting how school reveals a different side of children – and why it’s such an essential part of their lives.