REFUGEE EDUCATION PROJECT
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Mission Statement
REP’s Mission is to invest in young African refugee students and help them access quality advanced education in Rwanda. Paying for their secondary education will provide them with the opportunity to go to college and to help their families and refugee camp communities.
About This Cause
THE GENESIS OF REP 29.8 million African children do not attend school according to the UNESCO census of 2011. This number accounts for one-half of all children not attending school around the world. These African children are living in remote small villages, are affected by conflicts, represent racial and/or linguistic minorities, or are refugees. When someone receives an education, it is an investment in one’s self and also in their family, community, and country. Education will never depreciate. The earlier you begin learning, the more your investment will yield. In the Refugee Camps of Rwanda, students have the opportunity through, United Nations funding, to study for free through “Ordinary-Level,” the equivalent of grade 9 in the United States. Unless they have adequate funds to pay for their “Advanced Level” education (grades 10-12), most students living in refugee camps in Rwanda will not continue their education, even if they are exceptional and motivated students and top finalists in the National Exam. Rwanda hosts about 150,000 refugees from over 60 countries. The majority of refugees in Rwanda are from the Democratic Republic of Congo (76,266) and Burundi (69,000). Our Director, Iranzi Ntihemuka, grew up in Gihembe refugee Camp for Congolese. He comes from a refugee family of 9 kids and is the 3rd oldest. When Iranzi finished his Ordinary Level education (grade 9), his National Exam score qualified him to go to one of the top public secondary schools in Rwanda. The tuition to continue his education for Advanced Level was $200 per year. At the time, his family was receiving a stipend of 24 cents per day/per person ($2.16 per day for his family of 11) from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in partnership with the government of Rwanda through MINEMA. Iranzi’s brother was a teacher at the camp primary school and his dad was a security guard. The two of them earned a total of $30 per month. Most refugee families do not have members with paying jobs in the camp and survive on the UNHCR, MINEMA, WFP and other implementing partners stipend. Iranzi’s family believed in his potential and that contributing all of their extra income to cover his school fees would be worth it. This meant that his education came at a very high price to the family. Upon graduating from secondary school, Iranzi was eligible to go on to university. He found a non-profit to fund his university expenses and received a degree in accounting from The Adventist University of Central Africa (AUCA) before being resettled in Portland, Oregon. Iranzi appreciates the sacrifice of his family which allowed him to complete his secondary education and go on to college. After hearing Iranzi’s story and understanding the plight of young refugee students, Bryan decided to start The Refugee Education Project, REP, in October 2018. The program started with 8 refugee students, currently has 23 Congolese refugee students from 3 refugee camps in Rwanda. Gihembe in Northern Province, Kiziba in Western Province and Kigeme in Southern Province. REP’s Mission is to invest in young African refugee students and help them access quality advanced education in Rwanda. We will pay for their secondary education which will provide them with the opportunity to go to college and to help their families and refugee camp communities. POSSIBLE SOLUTION High School Education Our education Support pays the direct 3 years of education costs for ambitious refugee students to attend top boarding High school/ secondary school in Rwanda. We cover tuition, books, room & board, and school materials such as a mattress, bed cover, and sheets. We currently have 23 students and our 5 years goals are to have between 1500 to 2,000 refugee students in Rwanda. LEADERSHIP RETREAT AND MENTORSHIP Students need to graduate ready for the higher/University Education with the skills, insights, and abilities to succeed university admission exam. Our quarterly Leadership Development retreat equips our students for top university by focusing on such key topics as leadership, Goal setting, time management, resume writing, interviewing, English proficiency (speaking, listening and writing) and more. Our 5 years main goal is to connect REP Alumni with U.S. Companies for a summer or winter internship in the USA. COMMUNITY IMPACT PROJECTS Our students also develop their leadership and public engagement skills through the planning and implementation of their Community Impact Projects. The most important aspect of these projects is giving our students the opportunity to apply what they learn in their classrooms and Leadership retreat and mentorship to real-life needs within their communities since we believe that too much given, too much expected to the community. These projects develop a sense of empathy and community responsibility in our students, as each student invests at least 40 hours every year into their respective refugee camps. In 5 years, our refugee students will serve 80,000 hours by impacting and empowering more than 40,000 refugees from their respective camps. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees(UNHCR) and Rwanda Ministry In charge of Emergency Management(MINEMA) are also thrilled to alleviate Refugee education issues in Rwanda. Ever since Rwanda received Congolese Refugees from 1996, the government of Rwanda, the UNHCR in partnership with different implement partners sponsored the education in Rwanda the same as other livelihood programs such as health, Sanitation, and feeding. UNHCR donors have been generous, but funding is insufficient, thus REP would contribute to refugee education and quarterly leadership training and mentorship since we believe educated, empowered, and community-driven young people are the best vehicles for social change and one elite refugee is to many.