TECNO is proud to extend its partnership with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to support UNHCR’s global primary education programme.
The partnership, first established in 2020, is dedicated to providing high-quality, protective education for African refugee children and young people. Over the past four years, the partnership has reached 17,370 refugee children and 40 refugee DAFI scholars, as well as provided support to teachers and school infrastructure.
Among the 11,500 new refugee students expected to enroll in 2024, TECNO’s support through the primary education programme will benefit over 7,000 children in Kenya, helping them unlock their full potential to thrive in their adulthood.
In collaboration with partners like TECNO, UNHCR is committed to enrolling over 55,000 out-of-school children in primary schools in Dadaab and Kakuma camps over the next four years.
With 774,370 refugees and asylum-seekers as of May 2024, Kenya is the fifth largest refugee-hosting country in Africa. Kenya’s refugee camps Dadaab and Kakuma, as well as Kalobeyei Settlement Center, house over 217,000 school-aged refugee children. Despite a high gross enrolment rate, school-aged children’s net enrolment is just 53%.
TECNO’s financial support in 2024 is already helping to bolster UNHCR’s efforts to improve educational outcomes for refugee children in Kenya. This is being achieved through the provision of scholastic materials for students, hygiene kits for girls, infrastructure construction, as well as resources for teachers and school activities.
Adriani Wahjanto, UNHCR Deputy Representative in China, hailed support from TECNO: “UNHCR welcomes the renewal of our long-term partnership with TECNO, whose sustained support is crucial in bridging gaps in access to quality education and creating opportunities for refugee children. We hope this extended partnership will inspire more private sector actors to contribute not only funding but also expertise, as well as use their networks and influence, to help build a brighter future for people forced to flee.
Jack Guo, General Manager of TECNO, said:“TECNO is dedicated to giving back to local communities in Africa through practical initiatives. With our renewed partnership with UNHCR, we aim to continue supporting the improvement of learning conditions for African refugee children . We believe that education is the key to changing the destiny of refugee children and serves as the foundation for rebuilding their lives. Investing in primary education now will support a sustainable future and brighter tomorrow.”
Inclusive and equitable quality education is a cornerstone of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, specifically Goal 4, and remains a long-term objective of UNHCR. The organization’s primary education programming is customized to each country operation around four main objectives and employs location-specific strategies to effectively address the needs of refugee children. The planning and implementation of these initiatives are continuously enhanced drawing on insights from past interventions, to create safe, and stimulating learning environments that reduces the risk of seeing children leave school.
TECNO and UNHCR’s partnership exemplifies a commitment to not only education but also to the long-term well-being and the generous efforts of Kenya to include forcibly displaced in education opportunities.