Tag Archive for: Refugees

Posts

, ,

Food Systems in Uganda in the Face of El Niño 

Food Systems in UgandaIn the most vulnerable parts of the world, any risk to food systems can mean catastrophic effects on the population’s health. As El Niño approaches, threatening difficult harvests, drought, floods and even further scarcity in vulnerable countries, East and Southern Africa are predicted as some of the most at-risk areas in the coming months and year. With funding diminishing, food systems in Uganda are under stress, but the country is taking matters into its own hands.

Uganda sits firmly in the list of most vulnerable populations in the world with 20.3% of people living below the poverty line. Alongside this, the country is home to the largest number of refugees in Africa. While food is scarce, external aid is shrinking, and the hot shadow of El Niño looms, Uganda has been working on its own solutions. Utilizing this large population of refugees, and with advanced planning, the country strives to combat poverty and create sustainable communities amidst rising temperatures. 

El Niño

El Niño is the warm phase of a natural climate pattern (El Niño-Southern Oscillation), the period of warming of the Pacific Ocean that affects weather around the globe. This isn’t a new occurrence, but it is one that affects vulnerable countries’ infrastructures, like food systems in Uganda, bringing drought in some locations and flooding in others. This year, however, the phenomenon may be much more dramatic than normal, with Ugandans feeling the effects until 2028.

Projections of food scarcity and impact on poverty amidst this occurrence highlights the most vulnerable countries. Uganda sits firmly in this list with its high poverty figures and number of refugees. Yet, external aid seems to be going in the wrong direction.

The Statistics and Funding

In affected areas, the World Bank predicts production of crops such as rice to fall by 20% to 50% in the coming year. Alongside this, the World Bank saw an increase in food price in low-income countries, as well as stating in their report that “global food and nutritional security is becoming more fragile.”

The situation may be worse than previous years, with predictions indicating that the 2026 El Niño will be the worst on record. The lack of funding to humanitarian aid accompanies this (the main global contributors, the U.K., the U.S. and Germany, have announced budget cuts), which leaves countries like Uganda in need of serious internal effort. The good news is that the country is rising to the challenge.

External Aid

With the recurring threats upon food systems in Uganda, the situation is one that has been planned for. Humanitarian groups such as the UN and World Food Programme (WFP) have seen these issues coming and have been fighting them for years. Although, while the WFP initially provided direct aid in the form of hot meals for the numerous refugees and vulnerable in Uganda, this system has been gradually diminishing since 2025 due to lack of funding. Now, humanitarian groups like the WFP have focused on how to aid food systems in Uganda, supporting a structure that can sustain and utilize the growing refugee population.

Internal Aid

In Nakivale, a refugee settlement in Uganda’s southwest, the ‘self-reliance model’ has been put in place with the aid, and to the benefit of its many refugees. Under Uganda’s own model, which has received praise for its progressive treatment of refugees, locals and refugees both learn skills that will aid in creating a sustainable food and social system going forward. The community learns about fishing, farming and financial strategies which, alongside planned financial aid from the WFP, helps to secure a more stable system that will fluctuate less, both in terms of rations and food prices, or external conditions arise, like the coming El Niño.

Uganda’s refugee model is paying off for the country. The model allows refugees the right to work, freedom of movement, property lease, trade, access education, health care and other social service. Under this structure, the self-reliance model is allowed to thrive and build a sustainable future, capable of combating threats to food systems and communities like the coming El Niño internally.

One refugee told the WFP how the program “taught us how to prepare for the day that cash assistance might stop…how we could stand on our own.” Another refugee, Sanyu Sylva, comments on the list of skills she has learnt and the conditions that will allow her to pass this knowledge onto others, creating a sustainable community.

Looking Ahead

While many countries address refugees as a strain on their infrastructure, Uganda is managing to provide aid and community for these groups and its own people through planning and collaboration. Such internal rallying in the face of funding cuts, alongside aid from devoted humanitarian groups may be the key to enduring hardships like the coming El Niño.

– Calvin Politi

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

Photo: Unsplash

,

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

, ,

The Influence of German Aid to Ukraine

German Aid to UkraineSince Feb. 24, 2022, Ukraine has been at war with Russia. Constant bombing has destroyed housing and infrastructure, rapidly changing the economic makeup of the nation and exposing vast amounts of the population to the consequences of extreme poverty. This past winter, Ukraine’s weather reached dangerously low temperatures from which the destroyed heating infrastructure could offer no escape. However, the introduction of emergency heating points, funded by German aid to Ukraine, helped relieve death tolls from extreme temperatures.

In 2024, Annalena Baerbock, then Germany’s federal minister for foreign affairs, pledged €100 million to Ukraine in response to increased Russian attacks on heating infrastructure. Germany, one of the world’s largest donors of humanitarian aid, used this fund to provide heating points with food, water and the opportunity to get warm to more than 86,000 people living in Ukraine’s Kyiv region. Germany’s efforts to keep Ukrainian people warm this past winter demonstrate the life-saving impact that humanitarian aid can have, especially in times of crisis.

War-Induced Poverty

Since 2021, the poverty rate in Ukraine has risen from 20.6% to 35.5% in 2023. Due to the ongoing war, exact poverty data is hard to collect, but recent estimates suggest that 34.5% of Ukraine exists in poverty, while 51.6% suffer severe material and social deprivation. These statistics worsen depending on the region, with areas most affected by the war showing rates of 62% and primarily unaffected regions showing 23.4%. Thus, in addition to facing increasing poverty rates, Ukrainian people are facing the worst income inequality gap in years. Ukrainians impacted by the war suffer destroyed infrastructure, homes, loss of family and friends and dwindling resources. This humanitarian crisis, which has displaced millions and inflicted nationwide poverty, has stagnated the economy of Ukraine, making prospects of recovery slower and endangering the lives of millions of Ukrainians.

German Aid to Ukraine

In the face of devastating conflict, international aid has greatly benefited Ukraine, especially as the nation enters its fifth year of war. In December 2025, the European Union agreed to loan Ukraine €90 billion to help maintain the economy, defend against Russia and provide humanitarian aid for those forced into impoverished and deadly conditions. Additionally, Germany’s federal government has provided €43.3 billion in civilian aid and €57.6 billion for military aid to the Ukrainian government, alongside other donations throughout the last five years.

The German federal government outlines what this government-provided aid accomplishes on its website. German aid to Ukraine has gone toward constructing and replacing electrical and heating systems, power plants and nuclear power plants to both maintain safe infrastructure and help stimulate the economy and renewable energy sector during the war. Additionally, German aid to Ukraine goes toward providing medical care, food, clean water and refugee assistance. Approximately a million Ukrainian refugees have sought refuge in Germany, where the German government provides them with access to vocational language courses, training and integration programs, job assistance centers and immediate access to the labor market. These programs have assisted more than 1.3 million Ukrainian refugees, helped train 27,000 Ukrainian soldiers and helped more than 86,000 people survive an extremely cold winter without infrastructure.

Final Thoughts

Germany’s efforts as one of the world’s largest donors of humanitarian aid help protect the most vulnerable populations. Ukrainian people suffer significantly increased levels of poverty due to the ongoing war, but German aid helps alleviate some of these consequences and prevents unnecessary deaths in vulnerable communities. From mobile heating centers to efforts to reconstruct electrical and heating infrastructure and the welcoming of refugees, Germany’s government-initiated aid to Ukraine has played a substantial role in protecting those in need.

– Aubrey Wallen

Aubrey is based in Alexandria, VA, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels

, , ,

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

, ,

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

, ,

The Exploitation of Agricoltural Refugee Labor in Italy

Man in hoodie carrying a cardboard box outdoors, representing refugee labour in Italy.The death of four migrant farmworkers in Amendolara, Calabria, on June 1, 2026, shocked Italy. It renewed attention on one of the country’s most persistent human rights issues: the exploitation of refugee labor in Italy. According to reports, the caporali (illegal labor recruiters) killed the workers after they refused to continue working without pay. The tragedy sparked renewed calls from NGOs and institutions for stronger protections for migrant workers and stricter enforcement against labor exploitation.

Thousands of refugees arrive in Italy every year, hoping for safety and economic stability, only to struggle against poverty, insecure employment, and exploitation. Many flee conflict, persecution, or extreme poverty in their countries, only to find themselves trapped in another cycle of deprivation in Europe. Without legal documents, stable housing, and access to regular employment, refugees are particularly vulnerable to abuse in sectors such as agriculture.

How Poverty Fuels Refugee Labor Exploitation

Agriculture is one of the sectors where the exploitation of refugee labor in Italy is most widespread due to the phenomenon known as Caporalato. This illegal system relies on intermediaries, known as caporali, who recruit vulnerable workers for farms while charging illegal fees, withholding wages, threatening workers, or exposing them to unsafe conditions.

Refugees and undocumented migrants often accept these conditions because they have few alternatives. Without residence permits or formal employment contracts, they are excluded from labor protections, health care, and social security. Fear of deportation or losing future opportunities to regularize their status discourages many workers from reporting abuse.

This exploitation reinforces global poverty rather than reducing it. Refugees seeking better economic opportunities often remain trapped in low-paid informal work, making it difficult to escape poverty, support their families, or build long-term stability. The result is a cycle in which vulnerability continues across borders.

Organizations Mobilizing for Migrants’ Rights

The situation of refugees is challenging, but some organizations work to improve their conditions and offer solutions to break the poverty cycle.

SIPLA (Integrated Protection System for Agricultural Workers) focuses on protecting migrants from Caporalato in Italy. It is divided into SIPLA North and SIPLA South to address slightly different needs. SIPLA operates locally, creating projects for assistance and training on workers’ rights, and nationally by promoting agreements with companies and large-scale distribution.

By the end of 2022, the Sipla North project reached 1,829 agricultural workers, opened 45 new help desks to assist migrants, and employed over 100 workers to assist exploited refugees. The project fostered collaboration between organizations with the same objective of ensuring respect for agricultural workers.

MILMAT, co-founded by the European Union, promotes labor and social integration on farms and ensures workers’ rights. The project fosters knowledge of rights and promotes the recruitment and respect of migrants. It also creates channels of communication between employers and workers to control discrimination and ensure commitment to work.

Government Action Against Exploitation

Italy has promoted the Decree Primo Maggio to address labor exploitation. Recent government initiatives include regulations aimed at combating digital forms of Caporalato, increasing transparency in recruitment processes, and simplifying access to legal work permits through digital platforms.

Although these reforms alone cannot eliminate exploitation, they represent important steps toward improving oversight and making legal employment more accessible for migrant workers.

– Ilaria Alberti

Ilaria is based in Dublin, Ireland and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

,

Refugee Art Initiatives Creating Change Across Borders

Group of people viewing vibrant mural; part of refugee art initiatives.Refugee art initiatives act as a creative outlet that transcends language barriers and social structures, giving refugees opportunities to heal and rebuild their lives. Through art-based education and community initiatives, displaced people express themselves, strengthen identity and promote intercultural understanding. These programs demonstrate how art creates change across borders by supporting resilience, emotional recovery and community cohesion.

Art and Identity in Long-Term Exile

With the average refugee exile lasting around 20 years, creating environments that encourage creativity, expression and education is essential. Refugee art initiatives help ensure that the 6.6 million people living in refugee camps not only survive but also develop socially and emotionally.

Placing art at the center of therapeutic support helps refugees understand their feelings, thoughts and actions. Art allows displaced people to access activism, gain autonomy and influence the world around them, even after their lives have been drastically disrupted. For many refugees, artistic expression becomes a way to reclaim agency in environments where personal choice is often restricted.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), art-based interventions now serve as psychosocial services that improve mental well-being, reduce stress and support emotional stability among displaced populations. These initiatives show how art strengthens identity and improves mental health outcomes among refugees.

Fabric of Women’s Resilience

Through collaboration between Artolution, the United Nations (U.N.) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Bangladeshi, Greek, Jordanian and Ugandan refugee women created the Fabric of Women’s Resilience mural. This project stands as a clear example of refugee art initiatives that unite communities through shared experiences. The mural highlights how women use creativity to challenge social norms, advocate for rights and share stories that are often overlooked in humanitarian narratives.

Each group contributed artwork to express their experiences as displaced women and to advocate for equality. The key themes throughout the mural include promoting maternal health care in Bangladesh, challenging gender stereotypes in Jordan, sharing personal experiences in Greece and highlighting connections to communities in Uganda.

Created by 12 refugee women, the mural is a clear example of how art unites and connects communities through shared experiences. It amplifies women’s voices and demonstrates the impact these projects can have on community cohesion. By showcasing diverse cultural perspectives, the mural encourages viewers to recognize the shared humanity within refugee experiences.

Out of Place: Testimony From Refugee Camps

The Out of Place exhibition documents life in 18 of the world’s largest refugee camps through photography, video, installations and research. Featuring the work of 264 artists, the project shows how refugee experiences defy borders and challenges the tendency for displaced people to be forgotten.

The exhibition humanizes the people within the camps who often risk being forgotten. Displaced persons gain the opportunity to express themselves and provide detailed, intimate accounts of their experiences. Humanitarian groups use art to tell refugees’ stories in a way that empowers them and gives them autonomy.

With a population of 220,000 people, Dadaab is Kenya’s largest refugee camp. Ten artists from Dadaab contributed to the exhibition, but their initial shipment of artwork arrived blank, likely due to damage during transit. Determined to share their stories, the artists recreated their pieces to ensure their message reached international audiences. Their persistence shows how these projects empower refugees to reclaim their narratives.

Exile Voices: Photography as Education

Art is increasingly encouraged in refugee camps, particularly through photography. In December 2013, photographer Reza Deghati launched a photography training program for children ages 11 to 15 in a camp in Iraqi Kurdistan. The initiative was successful and led to the creation of the Exile Voices project.

In collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Exile Voices has operated for more than five years, providing art-based education to refugee youth across multiple camps. Photography workshops equip children with practical skills, confidence and creative expression, giving them tools that can support their futures. With 43.3 million displaced children worldwide, access to education through creative programs offers young people a way to build skills despite the disruption of exile.

The Future of Art Initiatives in Refugee Camps

Investment and focus on art-based education and therapeutic programs is increasing. These initiatives have gained recognition as essential tools to help support displaced persons. With new attention placed on using art as a therapeutic tool, these programs are essential to supporting students and youth through life in refugee camps. As they expand, they will continue strengthening resilience among refugees and connecting communities across borders.

These programs not only foster healing and identity but also ensure that displaced people’s stories gain attention.

– Flora De Leeuw

Flora is based in Bath, UK and focuses on Good News, Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

, ,

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

,

Higher Education for Refugees: A Scholarship for Women

Higher Education for RefugeesA refugee child is far less likely than almost any other young person to set foot in a university lecture hall, and a refugee young woman is least likely of all. Globally, just 9% of refugee youth are enrolled in higher education, compared with a global average of about 42%. One program has spent more than three decades expanding higher education for refugees, and it is now reaching more women than at any point in its history.

A Narrow Door to University

The barriers to higher education for refugees stack quickly: prohibitive tuition, legal restrictions, language obstacles and the simple cost of survival taking priority over study. Women face an additional layer. For every 10 refugee boys enrolled in secondary school, only seven girls are enrolled, which narrows the pool that can reach university at all.

The result is a sharp loss of potential. Refugee girls who leave school early are more likely to marry young, less able to support themselves and their families and less able to take part in rebuilding their communities. Higher education offers a route in the other direction, toward employment, self-reliance and leadership, but only for those who can reach it.

The Scholarship Built for Refugees

The Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative, known by its German acronym DAFI (Deutsche Akademische Flüchtlingsinitiative Albert Einstein), exists to widen access to higher education for refugees. Funded primarily by the German government and administered by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) since 1992, it provides full university scholarships to refugees in their countries of asylum, covering not only tuition and fees but also books, transport, accommodation and health care. Since its founding, the program has supported more than 27,200 refugee students across 59 host countries.

DAFI does more than pay fees. Scholars receive academic tutoring, language support, mentoring and networking, and many graduates return to guide the next cohort. In Burundi, for example, former scholars run the DAFI Women Power Club, a mentoring initiative led by refugee women determined to help younger women into higher education. Grace, a public health graduate from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who served as president of the club, frames the mission plainly: “We still have to fight the idea that an educated woman will not make a good wife. But we keep moving forward and mentoring younger refugee girls and women who come after us so that they can become leaders and have some impact in this world.” That model of women lifting women is now central to the program’s approach.

A Record Year for Women

The focus on women is producing measurable results. In 2024, women made up 45% of all DAFI scholars, the highest share in the program’s history, up from 42% the year before, and 60% of newly awarded scholarships went to women, a sharp rise from 40% the previous year. The gains came from targeted outreach in places with the widest gender gaps. In Ethiopia, female enrollment rose by 14%, with women making up more than 75% of new scholars, supported by tutoring, outreach and financial aid for girls still in secondary school.

Kenya shows both the need and the model at work. The country hosts more than 774,000 refugees and asylum seekers, with the camps at Kakuma and Dadaab home to tens of thousands of school-aged children. There, the DAFI program is run on UNHCR’s behalf by Windle International Kenya, which prioritizes girls and women in its scholarship awards to address the gender gap directly. Yet the access gap remains stark. Across refugee settings, fewer than one in 10 eligible young people reaches higher education at all, and in camps like Kakuma and Dadaab the share has long been smaller still.

Progress Against a Funding Headwind

DAFI is the largest and longest-running source of higher education for refugees. That reach now faces a serious threat. In 2024, the number of DAFI scholars fell to 7,890, down from a record 9,312 in 2023, the first decline since the COVID-19 pandemic, driven by shrinking global humanitarian funding. Demand has not fallen with it. In 2024, around 5,000 applicants competed for just 879 new scholarships, meaning fewer than one in five was accepted.

New efforts are trying to hold the line. In 2025, USA for UNHCR launched the Building Better Futures campaign, which aims to raise $15 million by 2028 to fund 1,000 scholarships for refugee women and had already secured $3.1 million in lead gifts.

Keeping the Door Open

DAFI alone cannot close the refugee education gap, and the funding pressures are real. Even so, refugee enrollment in higher education has climbed from 1% in 2019 to 9% in 2025, and DAFI remains one of the few avenues through which a refugee woman can earn a degree at all. When a young woman in a camp like Kakuma reaches a university lecture hall, the effect reaches further than her own life, into her family and the community she will one day help rebuild. Sustained investment is what will keep it open for the next young woman in line.

– Amna Al Harrazi

Amna is based in Dubai, UAE and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels

, ,

Innovations in Poverty Eradication in Jordan

Poverty Eradication in JordanJordan’s poverty challenge is shaped by unemployment, water scarcity, limited natural resources and the long-term responsibility of hosting refugees. However, the country is also showing how innovation can make poverty reduction more precise, practical and sustainable. Instead of relying only on traditional aid, innovations in poverty eradication in Jordan are combining digital assistance, job creation, climate-smart solutions and humanitarian technology to help vulnerable communities build more stable futures.

Digital Aid That Reaches Families Faster

One of the strongest examples is Jordan’s National Aid Fund Cash Transfer Program. According to the World Bank, the program provided monthly support to 220,000 households in Jordan. In 2021, it reached an estimated 62% of the most impoverished people in the country, making it one of the largest cash transfer programs in the Middle East and North Africa in terms of coverage for low-income individuals. 

The innovation lies not only in the money itself, but in the system behind it. The program uses digital payment methods, including basic bank accounts and e-wallets, to make support easier to receive and more efficient to manage. This matters because families experiencing poverty often face barriers to banking, transportation and public services. Digital cash assistance can reduce those barriers while giving families more control over how they meet urgent needs.

Turning Assistance Into Opportunity

Jordan’s anti-poverty innovation also focuses on employment. The World Bank reports that supported operations have helped 48,000 Jordanians secure formal-sector jobs, with women accounting for 52% of those placements. In addition, 30,000 people are receiving on-the-job training and more than 4,000 individuals have received training in the digital sector.

This is important because poverty reduction becomes stronger when families can move from short-term support to long-term income. Job training, formal employment and digital skills help people enter sectors with more stability and growth potential. For young people and women, these programs can create access to opportunities that were previously harder to reach. In this way, Jordan’s approach connects social protection with economic mobility.

Youth-Led Water Innovation

Water scarcity is one of Jordan’s most serious development challenges. It affects agriculture, household costs, food security and job opportunities. The United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) “Scaling Up Water Innovation for Climate Security in Northern Jordan” project addresses this issue by supporting youth-led businesses that develop practical water and agricultural solutions. The project received a $570,000 grant from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) through the SDG-Climate Facility and focuses on climate security, water management and economic opportunity. 

The project trained 25 startups in financial modeling, customer development and value proposition design. Seven youth-led small and medium enterprises then developed solutions using artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, hydroponics, vertical farming and improved irrigation. The UNDP reported that some of these innovations reduced water consumption by up to 20% while improving agricultural productivity at the household level.

These efforts show why climate innovation is also a form of poverty innovation. When water becomes easier to conserve and agriculture becomes more productive, families and small businesses can reduce costs, protect income and adapt to environmental stress. In a country where water scarcity affects both rural and urban communities, youth-led innovation offers a practical way to connect environmental resilience with economic survival.

Humanitarian Technology for Refugees

Jordan’s innovation also extends to humanitarian assistance. The World Food Programme’s (WFP) Building Blocks system uses blockchain technology to coordinate cash-based food assistance. WFP reports that Building Blocks serves more than one million refugees in Jordan and Bangladesh and has processed $555 million in cash-based interventions through 25 million transactions. 

This technology helps aid organizations reduce duplication, protect data and save money on bank fees. For refugees and vulnerable communities, better coordination can mean more reliable access to assistance. Although blockchain alone cannot end poverty, it can make humanitarian systems faster, more transparent and more efficient in places where resources are limited and needs are high.

Looking Ahead

The most powerful innovations in poverty eradication in Jordan are not isolated projects. They are part of a larger shift that uses technology and entrepreneurship to make poverty reduction efforts more targeted, inclusive and sustainable. Digital aid helps families survive immediate hardship. 

Employment programs help people build a stable income. Water innovation helps communities adapt to climate pressure, while humanitarian technology helps assistance reach people more efficiently.

Jordan’s progress shows that poverty eradication is strongest when aid is connected to opportunity. By linking social protection, digital inclusion, youth employment and climate resilience, innovations in poverty eradication in Jordan are helping transform short-term support into long-term opportunities.

– Adriana Carolina Herrera

Adriana is based in Mentor, Ohio, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash