TECNO and UNHCR Renew Partnership to Boost Primary Education for Refugee Children in Kenya

TECNO, a leading technology brand, has renewed its partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to continue supporting the global primary education programme for African refugee children. 

Originally established in 2020, the collaboration focuses on providing quality education and resources for refugee children and youth in Kenya, with a significant impact on both students and teachers.

Over the last four years, the initiative has positively influenced the lives of 17,370 refugee children and 40 DAFI scholars, while improving school infrastructure and teacher support. For 2024, TECNO’s support will reach over 7,000 refugee students in Kenya, empowering them to realise their potential and build brighter futures.

Working alongside partners like TECNO, UNHCR aims to enroll more than 55,000 out-of-school children in primary schools across Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps over the next four years. With Kenya hosting 774,370 refugees and asylum-seekers as of May 2024, the need for expanded access to education is pressing. Despite a high gross enrolment rate, the net enrolment rate for school-aged children remains only 53%.

TECNO’s 2024 financial backing will continue to strengthen UNHCR's efforts, focusing on providing essential scholastic materials, hygiene kits for girls, constructing new infrastructure, and supporting teachers in delivering a better learning experience for refugee children.

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.