News and Stories

While the path to voluntary repatriation is personal and complex, this mission reignited dialogue, trust, and hope for thousands still living in displacement. Refugees are now better informed to make decisions about their future, are supported, not pressured.

At Kakuma Refugee Camp, JRS helps children heal from trauma through play, education, and faith. Their joyful songs at Mass remind us, even in darkness, hope shines.

In Kakuma Refugee Camp, poverty, household duties, and early parenthood push students out of school. Supported by the EU’s ECHO grant, JRS removes these barriers, offering fee waivers, cash aid for teen mothers, and enrollment drives. But access alone isn’t enough. With overcrowded classes and strained teachers, JRS boosts educator welfare through training, meals, and mental health support, because thriving teachers mean thriving students. As Kakuma transitions under Kenya’s Shirika Plan, JRS empowers refugees to lead school management, ensuring sustainability. Beyond classrooms, we’re creating safe spaces where futures grow.

In the heart of Nairobi, fifteen displaced women—survivors of war and loss—are rewriting their futures. Through JRS’s Aachen Project, they found healing through counseling, then turned trauma into triumph with business training and seed grants. From tailoring to peanut butter production, they now send their children to school, access healthcare, and inspire their community. Their journey proves that when mental health and livelihoods are nurtured together, resilience flourishes.

Clare Mukandutiye fled Congo’s violence in 1996, carrying trauma and despair to Kenya. Exploited and assaulted, she struggled to survive until JRS became her lifeline. Psychosocial counselling helped her heal, while a business grant empowered her to open a fish kiosk in Kabiria. Today, she thrives, providing for her family and reclaiming her dignity. From displacement to resilience, Clare’s journey proves that even shattered souls can rebuild.

Know more about how our education programmes in the Kenyan Kakuma Camp impact the lives of refugees and their families

Urban refugees in Kenya face many challenges in accessing higher education. These barriers range from limited resources, institutional barriers-Universities may be unwilling to collaborate with refugees or may not recognize their certificates, Lack of documentation: Refugees may not have access to educational or identification documentation, Cultural barriers: Refugees may face structural barriers related to gender and culture, Cost of attendance: The cost of attending university can be very high, and scholarships may not cover all expenses among other barriers. Through JRS, the SNHU program seeks to reduce these barriers. Elias is one of the successful students of the SNHU program. He now works with JRS as the IT Officer.

Explore JRS Tanzania’s findings on the challenges faced by children with disabilities (CWD) in refugee camps. On the International Day of the African Child, let’s highlight their struggles with violence, discrimination, and barriers to education, and advocate for inclusive, compassionate learning environments. Join us in supporting safe, empowering spaces for every child.

Une réunion d’information sur le projet « KAZE TWIYUNGE : Réponse intégrée pour favoriser la protection et la résilience des rapatriés au Burundi » a été organisée ce 26 mars 2024 à Makamba.