There are more than 65 million refugees and internally displaced people worldwide, the highest level ever recorded. This offers a challenge to all of us. JRS has historically seen education as a key contribution to the needs and hopes of refugees. Providing education enables refugees to provide for their families, strengthen bonds in their communities, and promote lasting peace.
In the words of Pope Francis, “To give a child a seat at school is the finest gift you can give.”
Through the Global Education Initiative, launched in 2015, JRS is committed to raising $35 million and doubling the number of people served in our education projects to more than 240,00 by the year 2020.
Watch the video testimonies below to hear directly from Peter, Jeannette, Antonia, Tresor and more refugees across the world the impact that JRS's educational projects have had on their lives. Click here for more videos and see stories and updates below.
The Global Education Initiative seeks to improve and broaden this contribution by:
• Focusing our educational efforts on those most in need, typically youth and young adults;
• Bringing heightened attention to teacher training as key for refugee education;
• Expanding post-secondary education opportunities (language studies, skills training, pre-employment programs) to improve job opportunities and economic development.
• Strengthening JRS’ capacity to provide educational services of high quality in an efficient, outcomes-focused manner.
Kenya: An oasis at the margins Kakuma, 23 April 2018 – Education remains out of reach for many girls around the world. In Kakuma and other refugee camps, girls continue to face difficulties when it comes to accessing education. Read More >>>
Thailand: Education promotes resilience Bangkok, 23 February 2018 – Imagine the sound of children playing and shouting in a school playground; the bell ringing when class is about to begin. For many asylum seekers and refugees in Bangkok, it has been a long time since they have heard these sounds. Read More >>>
USA: Concerts for refugees spotlight JRS Global Education Initiative Washington DC, 30 October 2017 – Lampedusa: Concerts for Refugees mounted a successful two week, eight-city tour, beginning in Seattle, on October 3 and ending in Dallas, October 15. Lampedusa, designed to spotlight the global refugee crisis, was produced by Jesuit Refugee Service/USA, in partnership with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Read More >>>
Uganda: Expanding opportunity through livelihood initiatives Kampala, 23 October 2017 – In Uganda’s capital around 75,000 displaced persons live as urban refugees – a life that is fraught with uncertainty and doubt. Asylum seekers and refugees arriving in Kampala are in a destitute condition. Read More >>>
Democratic Republic of Congo: Waiting for home Masisi, 13 October 2017 – In the eastern province of North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the territory of Masisi remains entrenched in armed conflict, ethnic violence, and instability. Within this insecure situation, thousands of families flee their homes each year. Read More >>>
Chad: Darfuri students excel after curriculum transition N'Djamena, 29 September 2017 – More than a decade after the initial onset of conflict in their homeland, Darfuri refugees remain in twelve refugee camps, near the Chadian border with Sudan. In these twelve settlements, the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) runs its largest education project worldwide. Read More >>>
Cameroon: JRS impact on a primary school in Kette Kette, 14 September 2017 - My name is Iya Haman Marcel. I am the Director of the primary school in Kette, a village situated less than 45 km east of the Cameroonian border with the Central African Republic. Read More >>>
Chad: Education is the only way to change the world Goz Beida, 15 August 2017 - In a small village in Eastern Chad where living conditions are harsh and the environment is perpetually hot and dry, Joana Gomes, the Project Director for JRS in Goz Beida, Chad, finds
beauty in the surrounding mountains and in the community Read More >>>
