Refugee youth in East Africa face a persistent crisis in accessing and completing education. Limited resources, poverty, gender-based barriers, and lack of inclusive systems have created an alarming dropout trend, particularly at the secondary and tertiary levels. This report explores the educational challenges facing refugee youth, highlights RYCM’s interventions, presents statistical evidence, and proposes a path forward through multi-sector partnerships.
Across East Africa (Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Ethiopia), nearly 4 million refugees are hosted, the majority being children and youth (UNHCR, 2024). Refugee children are five times more likely to be out of school compared to global averages (UNESCO, 2023).
Primary enrollment among refugee children in East Africa: ~65%
Secondary enrollment: ~23%
Tertiary enrollment: <2%
In comparison, the global averages for refugee education are:
Primary: 84%
Secondary: 34%
Tertiary: 6% (UNHCR Education Report, 2023)
Girls and youth with disabilities are disproportionately affected. In Kakuma and Dadaab refugee camps in Kenya, girls make up less than 20% of secondary school enrollment (UNHCR Kenya, 2023). In Uganda’s Rwamwanja and Kyangwali settlements, many learners drop out due to early pregnancies, household labor demands, or lack of scholastic materials.
RYCM (Refugee Youth Changemakers) believes that education is not just a right—it is a pathway to dignity, agency, and sustainable peace. We intervene at the grassroots level in refugee settlements through:
Peer Mentorship: Our trained mentors work directly with refugee students to provide guidance, help with academic transitions, and offer psychosocial support.
School Retention Campaigns: Through awareness sessions and radio programming, we engage community leaders, parents, and youth in the importance of education.
Early Intervention: Our mentorship begins at the primary level, laying a strong foundation for academic continuity.
Impact:
In 2023, RYCM supported over 100 youth in Kiziba (Rwanda), contributing to a 10-15% increase in school retention within the cohort.
“Sometimes I had to miss school just to help my mother fetch water. When RYCM mentors came, they helped my mother join a women’s group and I got school materials. That changed everything.”
— Anonymous, age 14, Kiziba Refugee Camp, Rwanda
Lack of consistent funding: Many refugee children lack uniforms, books, and transportation.
Understaffed schools: Classrooms often have over 80 students per teacher.
Limited access to mental health support affecting learning outcomes.
Minimal disability-friendly infrastructure in refugee camp schools.
To scale impact and reach more refugee youth, RYCM is actively seeking collaboration with:
Donors for targeted scholarship and school supplies programs.
Education Ministries & Local Governments to integrate mentorship into national refugee response strategies.
NGOs and UN agencies to co-design inclusive education models.
Private Sector Actors to provide digital learning, internet access, and innovation hubs.
“Stakeholders, governments, and the private sector must invest in the education of refugee children from the earliest years. This is the only way we will raise a generation that qualifies for higher education and changes their story.”
— Ishimwe Prince Archimedes, Co-Founder, RYCM
Education is the most powerful tool to disrupt the cycle of poverty, displacement, and hopelessness. At RYCM, we have seen firsthand that when you mentor a refugee youth, you light a spark that can transform an entire community. Let us act boldly—so that no refugee child is left behind.
Sources: UNHCR Education Report (2023), UNESCO (2023), WUSC DREEM Project Report (2023), RYCM Field Surveys (2023).
Your support can empower refugee youth with education, skills, and opportunities to lead change in their communities.
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