Government agencies and civil society organisations in nation-states and areas affected by conflict strive to develop citizenship education programmes to empower children as agents of change. However, the pedagogical culture within these contexts demands that children memorise information provided by higher authorities and avoid sensitive and controversial issues. Such practices disempower children. This article presents two arguments. First, it demonstrates how roots of destructive conflict and conflict-sensitive approaches to reform weaken top-down efforts to rebuild education for active citizenship. Second, it describes how teachers in conflict-affected areas who have autonomy exercise humility and are inspired by new approaches that can initiate a transformation in the pedagogical culture from banking to engaging young people in critical pedagogies. These high-impact teachers' innovative learning activities catalyse educational change, which suggests the emergence of a professional grassroots theory of change for citizenship education reform.