Education is essential for children all over the world. It prepares them for the future and creates opportunities they may not have otherwise.

For refugee children, education also provides protection and inclusion, supports healing from traumatic experiences, and restores hope and a sense of normalcy. The ability to continue their education while in a refugee settlement allows children to assimilate and become self-sufficient and productive members of society whether they repatriate to their home country or resettle in another country. 

Unfortunately, many refugee children are not able to attend school because of fees, overcrowding, safety issues, and long travel distances. Adolescent girls who are unable to attend school are at risk for pregnancy and early marriage.

Over half of the world’s refugees are children.  According to the UNHCR, 3.7 million refugee children are unable to attend school.  The 2019 Refugee Education in Crisis report shows that “only 50 percent of refugee children have access to primary education” and “only 22 percent of refugee adolescents attend secondary school”.   https://www.unhcr.org/steppingup/

By partnering with Windle International (windleinternational.org), we are able to help orphaned and vulnerable children attend school.

Nakivale Refugee Settlement is one of the largest refugee camps in Uganda. The current population is over 100,000 and it is home to refugees from many neighboring countries including Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, and South Sudan.