Archive for category: Refugees

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Why Investing in Refugee Self-Reliance Helps Host Communities

Refugee Self-Reliance
While much of the media landscape portrays refugees as a burden on hosts, many less-wealthy countries demonstrate that investing in refugee self-reliance can benefit both those seeking a new home and the host country itself. A study by the World Bank Group, published in 2022 and focusing on Ethiopia, observed that most refugee-hosting communities experience high levels of poverty and precarious livelihood conditions.

With humanitarian funding under pressure, institutions like the World Bank’s International Development Association and organizations like Inkomoko support refugee self-reliance.

The IDA and Global Policy

The International Development Association began in 1960 and aids in the development of countries in need of support. Every three years, contributing countries and the World Bank replenish the IDA’s resources. This enables them to contribute to the development and support of a long list of eligible countries.

IDA allocations consider countries’ needs and performance in implementing policies that promote sustainable development. The IDA supports a country’s projects focused on development, helping them become self-sufficient and sustainable. Here is where they provide an example for the benefit of refugee investment.

During IDA20, $2.4 billion was made available to help countries hosting refugees manage protracted crises. By December 2025, 21 countries had become eligible for assistance, including Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Djibouti, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Mauritania, Niger and Pakistan.

This aid focuses on enabling countries hosting large numbers of refugees to enact policies and plans that have been theoretical or difficult to implement without external support.

To be eligible, IDA countries must host at least 25,000 refugees (or 0.1% of the population), provide adequate protection for refugees and have a plan to support them.

In Ethiopia, IDA has supported the Economic Opportunities Program. This Ethiopian plan helps both refugees and hosts find and create jobs, not only helping refugees stand on their own feet but also channeling money and resources back into the country.

By July 31, 2025, the World Bank reported that 28,796 refugees had received access to economic opportunities under the program.

Local Support: Inkomoko

On a more local scale, Inkomoko supports refugees and displaced people in Rwanda, Kenya, South Sudan, Chad and Ethiopia. It invests in and provides support to entrepreneurs from these communities to enable stable growth from within.

Bedriya, a refugee entrepreneur in Tsore, Ethiopia, received business support and a startup loan through Inkomoko. According to the organization, she repaid the loan in six months after strengthening her cash-flow management, pricing and assessment of demand.

Sekina Hassen, who fled conflict in South Sudan in 2016, lives in the Bambasi refugee camp and, similarly, received business training and a loan to expand her bakery to supply the community. Not only does she feed locals, but her business supplies local cafes, retailers and other businesses, contributing to the wealth of the community.

Refugee Investment Can Reduce Assistance Costs

Research suggests that allowing refugees more freedom to work and take control of their financial situation within host countries benefits both their displaced community and their new home.

A report by the World Bank and UNHCR suggests that policy changes allowing refugees the chance to work and live as integrated community members can reduce the need for external international support. A 2024 UNHCR analysis of refugees in low- and middle-income countries reported that a modeled 25% increase in refugees’ incomes could halve the cost of complementary assistance to $11 billion annually. Part of the savings could be reinvested in refugee and host-community development.

The Human Level

On a more human level, the World Economic Forum highlights consumer support for businesses hiring refugees. In a January 2025 article, it reported survey findings that 40% of U.S. respondents were more likely to buy from companies hiring refugees; the figure was 51% across seven European countries and 74% in Mexico.

When researching host communities in Ethiopia, the authors of the 2022 World Bank working paper estimated that a 1% increase in refugee presence led to a 2.7% rise in diversification of livelihood activities as a secondary occupation and a 15.9% increase in the value of livestock product sales. Effects varied across regions and households; negative effects were concentrated in Gambella. This shows the potential benefits of refugee investment while recognizing that gains are not shared equally.

Aside from the potential financial benefit to both host countries and refugees themselves, investing in refugee self-reliance can help people build a life with greater agency.

– Calvin Politi

Calvin is based in Edinburgh and focuses on Good News, Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Building Climate-Resilient Rohingya Refugee Education in Bangladesh

Rohingya refugee children gather in a makeshift classroom in Bangladesh.
For Rohingya children growing up in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar refugee settlements, education has faced an unusual challenge. The places built to provide learning have themselves been vulnerable to fires, floods, landslides and severe weather affecting the camps.

When a major fire swept through Camp 5 in January 2024, more than 5,000 Rohingya refugees, including 3,500 children, lost their homes. Around 1,500 children also lost access to education after learning facilities were destroyed. Among them was Rafik, a 13-year-old Rohingya student whose family fled violence in Myanmar. After his learning center was destroyed, he spent seven months studying in a tarpaulin classroom. UNICEF reported that the temporary space became dark and flooded during heavy rain.

The destruction exposed a wider problem. Refugee education in Cox’s Bazar has traditionally depended heavily on temporary structures, many of which were built from bamboo. In 2024, 434 UNICEF-supported learning facilities were partially or completely damaged by disasters, disrupting education for more than 30,000 children. UNICEF said the repeated repairs were costly and diverted limited resources from other education programs and humanitarian services.

These disruptions take place within a much wider problem of poverty and economic insecurity. For Rohingya refugees, the economic constraints are even more severe. A 2024 Canadian government evaluation found that 95% of Rohingya households in Cox’s Bazar were moderately to highly vulnerable in 2022 and entirely dependent on humanitarian assistance. Refugees are confined to the camps and face restrictions on formal employment, leaving many families heavily reliant on aid.

Economic and Educational Impact

For children, this economic insecurity is closely connected to education. When families have few livelihood options and humanitarian support is reduced, access to learning becomes harder to sustain. The longer children remain out of school, the fewer opportunities they have to develop the skills needed for future education, training and employment. UNICEF has previously warned that older Rohingya children and adolescents deprived of opportunities to learn or develop livelihoods face increased risks of exploitation, early marriage and other forms of harm.

UNICEF’s response has increasingly focused on making education facilities more resilient to the conditions surrounding the camps.

Innovative Solutions

In February 2025, construction was completed on the Phoenix Learning Centre, which UNICEF describes as the first fire-resistant and climate-resilient school in the Rohingya refugee settlements. The center contains 10 classrooms and provides a learning environment for more than 700 children in grades 1 through 8.

The building was designed around the hazards faced in Cox’s Bazar. Its structure uses steel framing and magnesium oxide boards designed to withstand extreme temperatures, strong winds and flooding. Rooftop solar panels supply electricity, while battery storage provides up to two days of backup power.

The center’s design also addresses concerns about safety and access for adolescent girls. Separate classrooms and toilets for girls, along with a perimeter fence, were included in the facility. UNICEF reported increased interest from adolescent girls after the center opened. A teacher at the school also reported that attendance in his classes had been consistently higher, while greater numbers of girls were interested in attending because they felt safer at the new facility.

The Phoenix center also demonstrates why infrastructure quality matters to learning itself. Rafik said the new classrooms were easier to study in because of better lighting and ventilation, allowing him to see his books and the teacher’s writing more clearly. During a 2024 heatwave, temperatures in Bangladesh exceeded 40 degrees Celsius and all schools across the country, including learning facilities in the camps, closed for several days. A better-designed learning environment therefore addresses both disaster risks and the everyday conditions affecting children’s ability to study.

Long-term Challenges

His experience reflects the wider challenge facing education in the Rohingya settlements. Children who fled violence in Myanmar have now spent years in displacement. Many were born in Bangladesh and have never attended school in their country of origin. Maintaining continuity in education therefore has implications for both their present circumstances and their future.

Rohingya refugee education also operates within a system under growing financial pressure. UNHCR and its partners provide free education services in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char. Programs include basic education using the Myanmar Curriculum, formal education using the Pearson Edexcel Curriculum at Kutupalong and Nayapara registered camps and lifelong learning opportunities for adolescents and young people.

On May 31, 2025, UNICEF warned that the education of around 230,000 Rohingya refugee children was at risk because of an acute funding crisis. At the time, 83% of school-age children in the camps were enrolled in UNICEF-supported learning centers. Funding shortages forced UNICEF to suspend support for 1,179 host-community volunteer teachers working with younger learners, while some learning facilities faced temporary closure.

The funding crisis demonstrated how fragile education provision remained even when facilities were operating. A climate-resilient building still needs teachers, learning materials and funding to keep its doors open. Without those resources, improvements to physical infrastructure do not guarantee continuity of education.

International Support

By 2026, additional international support was helping sustain services. In March, Japan committed $1.4 million to UNICEF for support reaching more than 56,500 refugees, including more than 36,000 children. The funding covers education, health, nutrition and water, sanitation and hygiene services in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char. UNICEF said the education component would expand the Myanmar Curriculum on Bhasan Char and support formal education and skills training for adolescents in Cox’s Bazar.

In June, UNICEF announced Australia’s commitment of $11.4 million in multiyear funding to UNICEF for 2026 through 2028. The contribution supports health, nutrition, education, water, sanitation and protection services for Rohingya children and host communities. UNICEF said the funding was especially important because shortages were placing essential services under serious strain.

In April 2026, UNICEF and the Asian University for Women announced the certification of more than 1,100 volunteer teachers working in the Rohingya refugee camps. The program was developed with the Government of Bangladesh and the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner, with the aim of strengthening teacher preparation and the quality of learning available to refugee children.

Ongoing Risks

In July 2026, heavy rainfall triggered flash floods and landslides in the camps. UNICEF reported nine deaths, including children, following incidents on July 7. UNICEF also reported that a landslide in Camp 5 the following day killed at least four girls. UNICEF said the emergencies were disrupting access to essential services and highlighted the severe risks created by monsoon conditions in the settlements.

Those events underline why resilient infrastructure has become part of the education response rather than a separate construction concern. A learning center in Cox’s Bazar needs to withstand conditions capable of damaging homes, roads and essential services around it. When schools remain usable after disasters, children have a better chance of returning to lessons without a prolonged interruption. Organizations also avoid repeatedly directing scarce funds toward reconstruction.

UNICEF estimates that every $1 invested in climate-resilient infrastructure saves an estimated $4 in post-disaster reconstruction costs.

Conclusion

The Phoenix Learning Centre therefore represents more than a replacement for a school destroyed by fire. It reflects a shift toward infrastructure designed around the long-term realities of displacement.

The challenge is particularly significant because the Rohingya crisis has lasted far longer than many emergency responses are designed for. What began as a mass displacement in 2017 has become a prolonged humanitarian situation in which children are growing up entirely within refugee settlements.

Bangladesh and its humanitarian partners are responding through several interconnected approaches. Durable learning facilities address physical vulnerability. Teacher certification strengthens education quality. International funding helps sustain services. Curriculum programs provide children with structured learning pathways.

The Phoenix Learning Centre offers a practical example of how these efforts intersect. Built after a fire destroyed the original facility, the school was designed around the risks facing the refugee settlements and was reported by UNICEF in 2025 to serve more than 700 children. UNICEF’s reporting from the center provides early evidence of practical benefits, including better classroom conditions, consistently higher attendance reported by a teacher and greater interest among adolescent girls.

As extreme weather, disasters, poverty and funding pressures continue to threaten services in Cox’s Bazar, the question is no longer simply whether children have somewhere to study. It is whether the education system supporting them is strong enough to remain available when the next emergency arrives.

– Michal Swiergocki

Michal is based in Arklow County Wicklow Ireland and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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How Aid Groups Are Responding to Displacement in Yemen

Aid worker assists displaced Yemeni family with relief supplies in a temporary shelter.
Early September 2026 brought renewed fighting to Taiz and Yemen’s west coast. Families left their homes at night, many on foot, carrying whatever they could. As of Sept. 22, the International Organization for Migration’s Displacement Tracking Matrix had recorded about 133,494 people displaced since Aug. 1, and 134,550 since the escalation began in June. These are dated tracking figures, rather than a current national total. The International Organization for Migration has since reported higher numbers. Displacement in Yemen is not new. What is different now is how little the country has left to absorb it.

For many families, this is not the first time they have fled. Concern Worldwide reported in September that some were displaced for the second or third time. Concern also cites a United Nations estimate that more than 80% of Yemenis live below the poverty line. A Sept. 23 joint humanitarian statement put the number needing humanitarian assistance and protection at 22.3 million. Money is the other problem: National Public Radio reported on Sept. 22 that only 20% of the United Nations’ funding needs for Yemen had been met in 2026. Even so, aid groups continue to work, and three of them show what the response to displacement in Yemen looks like on the ground.

International Organization for Migration Maps the Crisis

Before anyone can deliver aid, someone has to know where people went. The International Organization for Migration’s Displacement Tracking Matrix records displacement and shares information to help humanitarian agencies identify where assistance is needed. The organization also works directly with displaced families. In its Oct. 5 update, the agency described providing emergency shelter, essential household items, cash assistance, clean water and sanitation and protection services.

Concern Worldwide Keeps Clinics Open in Lahj

Concern Worldwide works alongside Yemeni nongovernmental organizations rather than on its own. In its Sept. 22 statement, it said they were supporting health, nutrition and water and sanitation services in Lahj and preparing an emergency response in Taiz. The pressure shows in the camps. Clinics Concern supports in two displacement camps in Lahj had received about 560 extra people in recent weeks, and medical supplies were running low. Concern planned to reach 40,000 people in Yemen in 2026. Its Irish Aid-funded emergency response aimed to support more than 1,000 people in the camps where it worked.

A New Name, the Same Work in Taiz

On Sept. 9, 2026, Mercy Corps began operating under the public name Prosper Global, with some offices retaining the old name during the transition. The organization behind the name is the same. In Taiz, its teams saw families reach safer areas with only what they carried, short on food, shelter and money. Milena Murr of Prosper Global told the Associated Press that some had walked for more than 16 hours to reach displacement camps, arriving exhausted and dehydrated, with some children appearing malnourished. Like the others, Prosper Global said it needed more funding to keep up.

Looking Ahead

Displacement in Yemen will not fade on its own. The groups on the ground say they know how to respond. The hard part is paying for it at the scale this crisis demands. Cash assistance, shelter and clinics are central parts of that response, but aid groups say funding shortages limit what they can provide. Steady donor support and safe humanitarian access will help determine how many families they can reach, and for how long.

– Juan Guillermo Rueda Castrillón

Juan is based in Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain and focuses on Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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French Language Programs Help Refugees Find Jobs in France

Adults in a classroom setting, engaging in a French language program.
A Ukrainian journalist who once worked in television news took a job in a French warehouse. A former business owner who fled her country with her husband and three children found work as a cleaner. Both are refugees in France. A French language instructor who taught them told The Borgen Project that their experiences point to a barrier refugees can face: without strong French, professional experience gained abroad can be difficult to put to use. French language programs, from workplace classes to national training schemes, aim to help refugees overcome that barrier.

Refugees are part of a broader group of migrants who face employment barriers. Among non-EU citizens ages 20-64 living in the European Union, unemployment fell from 20% in 2015 to 12.3% in 2025, according to Eurostat, yet it still remains nearly two and a half times the 5.2% rate recorded for nationals.

In France, 36% of refugees who received their first residence permit in 2009 had a low level of French proficiency when surveyed in 2010, according to a 2018 study by DARES, the research and statistics department of the Ministry of Labor.

Outcomes also differ by group. Refugee women are more likely than refugee men to be unemployed in France, and many refugees who were employed in their countries of origin end up accepting lower-skilled jobs once they arrive, according to the U.N. Refugee Agency.

Inside a Workplace French Language Program

Workplace French language programs are one way companies support the refugees they hire. The instructor, who taught workplace classes for refugees employed by a private company in France, requested anonymity to protect the identities of the refugee employees and the company involved. The program combined language lessons with administrative support, including help with residence permits, transportation and employment contracts, the instructor said.

Each class centered on a practical theme, such as grocery shopping, paired with listening exercises, grammar games, short role-playing scenes and simple writing tasks tied to daily life. The company also organized “French déj,” or French lunches, where only French was spoken regardless of participants’ level, giving refugee workers a chance to hear everyday conversation and break the ice with colleagues they did not work with directly. The instructor said participants’ confidence grew day by day.

Employment Rises Over Time

One year after obtaining refugee status in France, 42% of refugees are employed, while 22% remain unemployed and 19% are inactive and not in education, according to a 2022 study that UNHCR cited. Another study published in 2024, which followed people granted protection in 2018, indicates that 63% were employed four years after obtaining status.

Isolation Compounds the Challenge

Beyond language, the instructor said navigating French bureaucracy, adjusting to a new culture and being separated from family create ongoing strain for refugees, who often seek out others from their home regions to combat loneliness.

Refugees face compounded disadvantages because of displacement experiences and legal uncertainties, on top of the language barriers, skill downgrading and legal obstacles that hinder migrants generally, according to a 2024 European Parliament policy study.

A National Program Expands Language Access

The HOPE program, launched in 2017 by AFPA, France’s national agency for adult vocational training, combines 400 hours of French instruction and an introduction to a trade with 450 hours of trade training. Training is delivered through a work-study or temporary-work contract, in fields where employers have unfilled positions. Participants also receive housing, meals and administrative, social and medical support throughout the program.

The program grew out of a May 2017 pilot project for 200 migrants from Calais, the site of the camp known as “the Jungle,” and expanded into a national initiative with an initial target of training 1,000 refugees. According to AFPA, two experiments that year in the Île-de-France and Hauts-de-France regions produced strong early results: 71% of participants earned a certification and 62% were employed by the end of training.

By October 2021, the program had trained more than 3,000 refugees across France, according to the Pays de la Loire regional prefecture. In that region, the prefecture reported a 93% job-placement rate, a regional result rather than a national one.

Both the workplace initiative and the HOPE program combine French language programs with practical support, ranging from administrative assistance to housing and meals in HOPE’s case. Without the language, the instructor said, refugees become invisible and lose recognition of their social standing. Even small acts of help can mean an enormous amount to people who often carry painful life stories, the instructor added.

– Naveeshaa Rengasamy

Naveeshaa is based in Lille, France and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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How UNHCR is Giving Aid to Congolese Refugees and Burundi Returnees

Congolese Refugees
The M23 armed group emerged in 2012 from former members of the National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP), taking its name from a March 23, 2009, peace agreement. The peace agreement provided for the integration of CNDP members into Congolese institutions, but its implementation remained contested. In 2012, former CNDP fighters rebelled against the Congolese government, alleging that elements of the agreement had not been honored.

Renewed fighting involving M23 has displaced large numbers of people in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. According to the Mixed Migration Centre, more than 1.1 million Congolese are spread across Africa. Additionally, according to UNHCR’s Burundi situation page, as of Aug. 31, 153,560 Burundian refugees are spread across other parts of Africa, like Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania. As Congolese refugees struggle to return home alongside Burundi returnees, UNHCR supports this reintegration process.

What is UNHCR?

UNHCR, a U.N. organization, was established in 1950 in the aftermath of the Second World War. It dedicates itself to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees. In September 2026, UNHCR published an operational update on assistance to Congolese refugees in Burundi and voluntary returns to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They have been aiding displaced Burundians returning home since 2008, with a recent funding request as of December 2025 of $47.2 million.

According to their Burundi page, more than 100,000 people are displaced, including about 91,000 refugees and the rest being asylum-seekers. Most of these displaced people come from the DRC, with the influx increasing rapidly due to rising tensions between the M23 and the Congolese military. Since 2017, more than 185,000 Burundians have returned home mainly from Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and the DRC.

Aid to Congolese Refugees and Burundian Returnees

UNHCR and its partners assist Congolese refugees living in Burundi and facilitate voluntary return for people going back to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while also supporting Burundians returning to their own country. Here is how UNHCR is offering aid to Congolese refugees and Burundian returnees.

In an operational update, UNHCR highlights a handful of basic needs delivered to Burundi: education, protection, medical treatment and nutrition, food security, shelter, infrastructure, energy, water, sanitation and hygiene. UNHCR and its partners provide protection services, including legal assistance, efforts to address gender-based violence, and support for access to education. In Busuma alone, 890 people participated in awareness activities.

UNHCR protects physical health and well-being. For example, 7,690 medical consultations were completed for 6,312 refugees and 1,378 residents. In Musenyi, 1,572 refugees received medical consultations and 755 locals. UNHCR’s update also describes the provision of water and other essential services. In Busuma, 30,000 Burundian Francs ($10 USD) were distributed to each individual along with cereal, oil and salt.

Safe access to hygiene was provided as well, with 722 latrines in Musasa cleaned by UNHCR representatives and more latrines approved for construction in Musenyi. As the number of Congolese refugees and Burundian returnees rises, there is less access to shelter. To combat this, UNHCR distributed 325 to 299 families, housing 1,290 people. As the organization continues voluntary returns to the DRC, houses are being vacated, allowing UNHCR to reallocate these households. In total, 677 people representing 162 households were reallocated.

UNHCR approved future housing in Mibakwe and Kiranira for returnees, allowing them to thrive and better reintegrate themselves back home. This also includes 58 shelters in Rumadari, Gasenyi, and Rugadari, and 50 shelters in the Busoni commune. This is in accordance with efforts to reintegrate Burundians back home. While there is much more aid being distributed, one highlight of UNHCR’s work is the voluntary returns of Congolese refugees and reintegrating Burundians at home. As of Sept. 11, 2,084 Congolese refugees voluntarily returned home, bringing the total to 18,232 people.

UNHCR has outlined a plan in efforts to aid Congolese refugees and Burundian returnees.

Looking Ahead

UNHCR is taking sufficient steps toward providing aid to the voluntary return of Congolese people and Burundian returnees, but there are still more needs that need to be met, essentials such as food, water, shelter, access to health care, protection, hygiene and infrastructure. UNHCR has appealed for additional financial support as needs for protection, shelter, health care and livelihoods continue to exceed available resources.

– Olive Nelson

Olive is based in San Luis Obispo, CA, United States and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Organizations Supporting Refugees with Disabilities

Refugees with DisabilitiesDisability results from the interaction of health conditions and personal and environmental factors, including inaccessible buildings, transportation barriers and limited social support. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 1.3 billion people, or 16% of the world’s population, experience significant disability. Conflict and forced displacement can compound these barriers, making it harder to reach safety, access humanitarian services and rebuild livelihoods. Here is more information about the challenges that refugees with disabilities face and the efforts in place to address them.

Challenges That Refugees With Disabilities Face

For displaced people with disabilities, reaching a safer location does not necessarily mean that essential services become accessible. Crowded settlements, uneven pathways, inaccessible toilets and shortages of assistive devices can make everyday activities difficult. Refugees may also encounter discrimination, gaps in disability data and barriers to registration and assistance. These obstacles can increase the risk that their needs go unrecognized.

The Inclusive Futures initiative, working with Humanity & Inclusion, has documented lessons from refugee settlements in Kenya on removing barriers to education and livelihoods. Its guidance emphasizes designing programs with people with disabilities rather than assuming that standard humanitarian services reach everyone equally.

Global Disability Fund

The Global Disability Fund (formerly the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) supports disability-inclusive development through joint programs, institutional capacity building and policy reform. Rather than operating individual refugee-camp clinics or distributing personal assistance directly, the fund works with governments, U.N. agencies, civil society and organizations of persons with disabilities to improve the systems that determine access to services.

According to its United Nations fund profile, the fund reports supporting 111 joint programs across 100 countries, training more than 116,000 representatives in disability inclusion, helping advance 118 laws and policies and contributing to 264 changes in services and data systems. These cumulative results span several sectors and countries and should not be interpreted as outcomes for refugees alone.

The UN Refugee Agency

The U.N. Refugee Agency, UNHCR, works with partners to identify barriers affecting displaced people with disabilities and support more inclusive humanitarian assistance. Accessible shelter, pathways, sanitation facilities, legal information, rehabilitation referrals and community participation can all help refugees live more safely and independently. Providing these services requires attention to the different needs of individuals rather than a single approach to disability inclusion.

When refugees with disabilities are included in assessments and decisions about shelter and camp facilities, providers can better identify practical barriers. These measures are especially important for children, older adults and people with limited mobility, who may otherwise struggle to reach schools, water points or health services.

Humanity & Inclusion: Making Education Accessible

Founded in 1982, Humanity & Inclusion (HI) supports people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups in crisis-affected communities. Its education and livelihoods work offers examples of how targeted adaptations can address barriers that refugees face.

In Kenya’s Kakuma refugee camp, 12-year-old Patrick, who has a physical disability, benefited from an accessible digital-learning initiative. According to HI’s account of his experience, Patrick had struggled to balance classroom work with his interest in football. Adapted digital materials, storytelling sessions and audio content helped him keep up with lessons and reduced some of the practical demands of carrying books to school.

“The ability to complete work from anywhere and learn at my own pace has reduced the pressure of having to carry books to and from home every morning,” Patrick told HI. The organization and its partners expanded e-learning for refugees and host communities in Kakuma and Kalobeyei, including resources adapted for students with different disabilities.

Humanity & Inclusion: Rebuilding a Livelihood

HI also helped Ahmad, a Syrian refugee living in Jordan, rebuild his livelihood after injuries made it impossible for him to continue working long hours in a clothing factory. Its published profile of Ahmad explains that he received rehabilitation services before being referred to livelihood support. Staff assessed his skills and aspirations, then helped him develop a plan to start a home-based sewing business.

Through training, coaching, mentoring and financial assistance, Ahmad obtained sewing equipment and learned budgeting, self-employment and digital marketing skills. HI reported that the business enabled him to purchase mobility aids and, after its first month, a second sewing machine so his wife could join the work. He later planned to share his tailoring knowledge with others in his community.

“Currently, I have an agreement with one of the local organisations to teach sewing/tailoring to women, and I am happy to support anyone who needs help in sewing,” Ahmad said in HI’s account. His experience shows how rehabilitation and livelihood support can complement each other without implying that every refugee with a disability has the same needs or opportunities.

Looking Forward

People with disabilities face substantial barriers before, during and after displacement, but inclusive humanitarian services can help reduce those obstacles. The Global Disability Fund’s systems-level work and the practical education and livelihood programs that UNHCR partners and Humanity & Inclusion supported highlight different forms of action: strengthening policies, making services accessible and supporting people’s own goals. Meaningful progress depends on reliable disability data, accessible facilities and including displaced people with disabilities in decisions that affect their lives.

– Elora C Gunn

Elora is based in Louisville, KY, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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History of Refugee Programs in Albania

Refugee programs in AlbaniaAlbania has strived to improve its refugee and asylum seeker welcoming system over the years. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) established its office in Albania in 1991, with operations in the country coordinated through UNHCR’s Representation for Central and South-East Europe (RCSEE), based in Budapest.

The Role of UNHCR

UNHCR partnered with the Ministry of Interior in Albania to improve the asylum system. It also promoted the inclusion of refugees and contributed to addressing the risk of statelessness. Their efforts included conducting a mapping exercise alongside Tirana Legal Aid Society and cooperating with several ministries, INSTAT, and municipalities to identify people at risk of statelessness. In just four months, 1,031 people at risk of statelessness were identified, 97% of whom were children. Relevant ministries, along with the Speaker of Parliament and several members of parliament (MPs), committed to a process of legislative and administrative reform required to end statelessness by 2024.

However, refugees in Albania still encounter challenges such as learning the language, searching for jobs, preparing for interviews, and acquiring new skills. Some refugees even have to beg on the streets for food as they are unable to secure employment, and the funding they receive from the Albanian government is insufficient to sustain them permanently.

Refugee and Migrant Services in Albania (RMSA)

The Refugee and Migrant Services in Albania (RMSA) is one of the current refugee programs in Albania. The Albanian government is not in charge of this program, and it operates independently. It provides psychological, social, legal, and medical services to refugees and asylum seekers in Albania.

UNHCR partnered with RMSA to help refugees find suitable jobs through a job coaching program. This program aims to support and motivate refugees in their job search and the practitioners helping them. It offers refugees all the information they need to get a job in Albania. Practitioners also provide in-person training to help enhance job searching skills.

Benefits for Refugees

Once a refugee enrolls in this program, they receive a “comprehensive guidance document” covering essential information on areas of the job market migrants need to navigate. This includes how to get work permits, write a resume, search for jobs, prepare for interviews, understand finances, and learn about local Albanian culture. Refugees complete personalized assessments to identify areas they excel in and areas needing improvement. They also receive coaching on performing essential tasks like writing a resume and improving interview skills.

The Increase in Immigration

The rate of foreign immigration in Albania has substantially increased over the years. In 2020, the total number of foreigners in Albania was around 13,600, but by 2024, it had reached around 21,940. In 2023, the refugee coaching program received its first graduates.

Overall, refugee programs in Albania have improved over the years as they have developed new initiatives to help refugees and asylum seekers find jobs and integrate into Albanian society. These efforts include tackling statelessness and offering free courses to help secure employment and thrive socially. There has also been a rise in immigration in recent years in the region.

– Bianca Burdulea

Bianca is based in Sunderland, UK and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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The Plight of Western Sahara and the Sahrawi People 

The Sahrawi People For the last 40 years, a conflict has simmered over the resource-rich lands of the Western Sahara. Since Morocco invaded in 1975, an estimated 165,000 Sahrawi people have been displaced, most living in Algeria.

Where Is Western Sahara?

Western Sahara is a region sitting on the Atlantic coast, just south of Morocco and north of Mauritania. It’s a region slightly larger than the U.K., but has only a population of around half a million. Before Morocco annexed the territory, Spain governed it as a colony. Under Spanish rule, the Sahrawi people lived a sedentary life by force, abandoning their nomadic lifestyle. The West ignored this until the UN began demanding the decolonization of Western Sahara in 1965.

In 1960, the UN passed resolution 1514, which recognized that the peoples of the world have an ardent desire to end colonialism in all forms. The UN classified Western Sahara as a non-self-governing territory, meaning that decolonization must happen. However, in 1975, King Hassam defied the resolution and ordered the “Green March,” a demonstration where 350,000 Moroccan civilians marched into Western Sahara. This sent the message that Morocco should have determination over the Western Saharan territory.

How Did Western Sahara Respond?

The Moroccan military forces and the Polisario Front began combat over Western Sahara. The Polisario Front is a collection of resistance fighters, aiming to liberate Western Sahara as an independent nation. In 1973, a group of students established the Polisario Front in Algeria, aiming to ensure that the Spanish Sahara would become an autonomous country, unburdened by colonialism. The UN brokered a ceasefire after 16 years of fighting. This left approximately 20% of the country under Polisario control. The other 80% belongs to Morocco, defended by the “Berm” wall, manned by 150,000 soldiers.

The Sahrawi Who Stayed

Those who remain in their homeland continue to face pressure from the Moroccan government. The Moroccan authorities have arrested journalists and human rights activists, some being imprisoned for only trying to enter the Western Sahara region. Recently, the Moroccan parliament adopted Draft Law 97-15, the draft law includes a passage outlawing strike action for political purposes. This restriction on freedom of speech would prevent the Sahrawi people striking to demonstrate their desire for autonomy. On the other hand, youth protests calling for better health care and job opportunities in rural Morocco, have seen success. Western Sahara could benefit from these protests, giving the Sahrawi people some long awaited improvement.

Morocco has significantly reduced poverty in recent years, including across the territories of Western Sahara. Between 2001 and 2007, the region formerly known as Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, which covers the northern half of Western Sahara, reduced its poverty rate by 66%. The study also shows that Oued Ed-Dahab-Lagouira, which covers much of the southern part of Western Sahara, has one of the lowest poverty rates in Morocco. These reductions have significantly improved the quality of life for Sahrawis who remain in the territory. However, poverty still affects rural communities in Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, with around 8% of the rural population living below the poverty line.

The Sahrawi Who Fled

Those who fled the conflict have dispersed across the world, with many fleeing to Algeria. Some refugees have lived in refugee camps based in the Algerian Sahara for over 45 years. In the camps the Sahrawi combat 50 degree centigrade summers, sub-zero temperatures in the winter, and total reliance on humanitarian aid in order to survive. Despite the challenges, they still think of a future for their children, believing that in the future they will be able to return to their home country.

Sahrawi refugees in Algeria live across five different camps and face food insecurity and limited employment opportunities. WFP reports that 78% of Sahrawi refugees experience food insecurity, which contributes to other health problems. For example, 53.5% of Sahrawi refugee women aged 15–49 suffer from anemia, as do more than half of children aged six months to five years. In response to these challenges, the Algerian government developed the Sahrawi Refugee Response Plan (SRRP), which aims to address the refugees’ most pressing needs. The plan estimates a funding requirement of approximately $200 million and focuses on three main objectives: protection, food security and employment opportunities. The plan also extends beyond these priorities by outlining development initiatives in areas such as education, sport and logistics.

The International Response

The Sahrawi people have seen mixed results with the international community. After Western Sahara was recognized by the UN in 1965, very little has been done to help the Sahrawi people, by the West. The UN brokered a peace deal between Morocco and the Polisario Front, in 1991, creating a task force named MINURSO to help establish a referendum on independence.

Looking Ahead

While there is peace in West Sahara now, the Sahrawi people remain displaced across North Africa. Various legislative resolutions concerning their independence have challenged the idea of an autonomous Western Sahara. However, Algerian aid to Sahrawi refugees is opening the door to a better life. These people still have hope that their children will one day be able to return to their homeland, clinging to that dream for 45 years and counting.

– Eoin Baxter Mackay

Eoin is based in Prestwick, Scotland and focuses on Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Refugee Access to Higher Education in Canada

Refugee Access to Higher EducationInvesting in refugee access to higher education in colleges and universities is one of Canada’s most powerful, underused tools for helping displaced people move from basic survival to stable, dignified lives and for advancing global poverty reduction from within Canada’s borders. Refugees are disproportionately affected by poverty, both before resettlement and after arrival, and many families struggle to afford housing, food and education in host countries. In this context, refugee access to higher education in Canada is emerging as a crucial pathway from emergency support to long-term inclusion, reducing poverty risk for newcomers and strengthening their ability to support relatives living in crisis situations abroad.

From Survival to Stability Through Education

Across Canada, about 20% of refugees of working age enroll in a college or university program within their first year in the country, far below the participation of other immigrant groups. Refugees who access Canadian post-secondary education witness drastic gains in employment and income. A longitudinal study showed that 84% of government-assisted refugees and 89% of privately sponsored refugees who pursued post-secondary studies were employed within eight years of their arrival, compared to 57% and 66% who did not.

These outcomes highlight how access to higher education can significantly improve employment prospects and earnings over time for refugees. These labor outcomes can directly translate into reduced poverty risk for refugee households and better financial support sent to relatives who are living in crisis situations abroad. Globally, remittances from migrants and refugees to low- and middle-income countries have become one of the largest sources of external finance, often exceeding official development assistance in many countries (p. 4). This illustrates how better jobs in Canada can contribute to poverty reduction worldwide. As refugees gradually move from precarious, low-wage jobs into stable higher-wage positions, they obtain the income, networks and confidence to contribute to the development of their country of origin through remittances, business links and advocacy. In this way, Canada’s higher education system functions as an engine of global development policy that works through students rather than through large aid programs, with this pathway serving as a particularly high-impact lever for poverty reduction.

Barriers to Post-Secondary Access

Despite this potential, many refugees face hard barriers on the road to college or university. Research indicates a cluster of obstacles: limited academic English or French, difficulties getting foreign high school or university credentials recognized, and high tuition and living costs. For young adult refugees balancing survival jobs, family responsibilities and trauma-related mental health needs, lengthy language upgrading or prerequisite courses can make higher education feel out of reach and can limit access.

Structural walls compose these personal challenges. Complex application systems, lack of tailored guidance counseling and uncertainty about immigration status or financial aid can delay or derail study plans. Even when refugees qualify for admission, they may be excluded from provincial student aid or charged international-student fees, effectively pricing them out of classrooms that could transform their futures and further constraining their access to higher education. These barriers keep many refugees trapped in low-income work and increase their vulnerability to long-term poverty in Canada and globally, since they have fewer resources to support family members who remain in conflict-affected settings.

Bridging Programs, Scholarships and Mentoring

Those walls are gradually beginning to be torn down with promising initiatives to close this gap (p. 15). Bridge-training programs through post-secondary education help internationally trained newcomers upgrade their qualifications, improve language skills and meet licensing requirements in regulated professions. These programs combine coursework, mentoring and networking with employers, giving refugee learners a clearer pathway into fields like health, engineering and education and opening doors to better-paid, more secure jobs that reduce poverty risk over the long term.

Targeted scholarships and sponsorship schemes are also expanding refugee access to Canadian campuses. The Student Refugee Program, coordinated by World University Service of Canada (WUSC), resettles more than 150 refugee youth to Canada each year and provides them with a full year of financial and social support as they begin university or college studies. Local WUSC committees, which are often led by students, offer day-to-day mentoring, help with housing and language practice, and a built-in community that reduces isolation to improve retention. Early evaluations show that graduates of such programs transition into stable employment and leadership roles at higher rates, multiplying the impact of each sponsored student over a lifetime and demonstrating how targeted initiatives can widen access to higher education. As these graduates move into professional careers, their ability to support relatives in low-income and crisis-affected countries grows, creating a direct link between refugee education in Canada and global poverty reduction.

Why Refugee Education Is Smart Poverty Policy

The facts are overwhelming: refugees who are able to study in Canada are much more likely to find decent work and to avoid poverty in the long term. Compared to other immigrant groups, the employment and earnings premium for refugees with a Canadian post-secondary degree is significantly higher, which means that every additional seat a refugee student occupies in a post-secondary program will yield disproportionately large benefits.

The investment in refugee access to colleges and universities is not just a humanitarian imperative but a high-leverage poverty reduction strategy that transcends Canada’s borders for a country that is dedicated to the Sustainable Development Goals. Canada can use its campuses to launch the next generation of refugee nurses, engineers, teachers and advocates through scaling up bridging programs, scholarships and community-based mentoring. This establishes a ripple effect of people who will help families and communities rise out of poverty, both in their new home and in their countries of origin, and it reinforces the notion that refugee access to higher education in Canada is one of the country’s most effective, underutilized poverty reduction tools.

– Charles Bakar

Charles is based in Montréal, Canada and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels

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How DREAMS for Refugees Provides Long-term Solutions

A diverse group inside a large tent, symbolizing DREAMS for refugees' community focus.In the past couple of years, the global refugee crisis has steadily grown. Currently, more than 43 million refugees depend on humanitarian aid, and as wealthy countries such as the United States withdraw their aid, the crisis worsens. While many refugee camps provide immediate aid such as food, water, shelter and medical care, they are not intended to be a long-term solution.

Immediate versus Long-Term Aid

While refugee camps are excellent for providing immediate assistance for refugees suffering from extreme poverty, they do not provide lasting support. People rely on the camps for support and lack the ability to permanently lift themselves and their families out of poverty.

Refugee camps were designed to be temporary shelters, but the people who reside in them require something permanent.

The Solution

In their joint project entitled “DREAMS for Refugees,” DREAMS for Refugees Uganda offers sustainable solutions, empowering communities through innovative programs and reducing dependency on aid. are working to install permanent solutions in refugee communities. Beginning in the Ugandan Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement, they are combining two well-researched tactics.

Village Enterprise employs a poverty graduation program. This approach uses provision, coaching and structural changes to benefit poor communities. Assets are provided, and teaching allows people to use those assets in productive ways.

This program is combined with Mercy Corps’ market system development program, which allows the refugee community to thrive financially. Together, these two strategies have the potential to create thriving communities.

Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement and Beyond

The Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement was created in Uganda in 2016. After the implementation of DREAMS, the first businesses opened in the fall of 2022.

In 2023, DREAMS for Refugees expanded to Ethiopia. It is estimated that it will reach 200,000 refugees.

The project received Fast Company’s 2023 World Changing Ideas Award and was the 2021 winner of the Larsen Lam ICONIQ Impact Award for Refugees.

Village Enterprise and Mercy Corps intended DREAMS to be an evidence-led approach to fighting poverty. To determine the effectiveness of the program, IDinsight is conducting a trial to assess its results.

Why the DREAMS Model Matters

The DREAMS program represents the shift from offering basic necessities to refugees to improving lives and setting people up for success. Not only does this program help the individual, but the evolution of small businesses will strengthen the economies of these settlements as a whole.

This long-term approach is especially helpful in a period of reduced foreign aid by wealthy countries, as it repurposes money to create lasting success as opposed to short-term survival.

Looking Ahead

As the number of refugees living in extreme poverty increases and the amount of foreign aid dwindles, investing in long-term solutions becomes more important than ever. The future of foreign aid is uncertain, so actions to change it must be taken now. Assisting with establishing independence rather than creating dependency on consistent aid is not only more financially viable, but it protects the dignity of refugees. If DREAMS continues to be successful, it could serve as a model for communities experiencing extreme poverty around the world.

– Julia Cholerton

Julia is based in Gig Harbor, WA, USA and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash