Kenya (MNN) — What is a refugee?
The devastation of two world wars caused international bodies to draw up definitions of refugees and guidelines to care for them. Since then, however, an ever-increasing number of people have become displaced in conflicts around the world.
A man we will call For Dignity, who works with TeachBeyond out of Nairobi, Kenya, says, “A refugee is known as someone who, due to some political reasons, based on either his security, his religion, or his political affiliation, was forced to leave his country and cross borders to another country.”
For Dignity himself is a refugee, forced by tribalism to leave his homeland in 1994. He has lived in different countries ever since.
Education for refugees
He says many refugee families have difficulty educating their children. “One of the main consequences: if refugee children are not educated, they become reasons for more displacement.” Sometimes they can get drawn into extremist groups, participating in even more violence. It’s a problem for the whole community, For Dignity says.
Plus, educating refugee kids helps towards three long-term goals communities often have regarding refugees: repatriation, integration, and resettlement. For Dignity says, “For me, I see education as cross-cutting into those three long-term solutions. If education is not given, it makes the success of these other three very hard.”
Ask God to equip TeachBeyond’s work in this area, and get involved by giving here. For Dignity says, “God is building His kingdom with those who are displaced. People shouldn’t lose the sight to see what God is doing, to see what God can do through the education of those who are displaced.”
“Because bottom line, they are part of us. Bottom line, they are part of our communities. Bottom line, they need to belong as we all need to.”
Header photo courtesy of TeachBeyond on Facebook.
