Finnish Refugee Council Abroad
Youth Day in Kyangwali, 2008. Photo: Anne HeinonenAdult Education in Africa
The Finnish Refugee Council (FRC) assists refugees and returnees in Uganda, Liberia and Sierra Leone. FRC has been implementing development projects for almost twenty years.
The underlying principle is to support activity and participation among refugees. Project beneficiaries are involved in project activities from the planning phase onwards, in order to ensure that they identify with them and feel like their needs are paid attention to.
FRC’s work abroad concentrates on the realisation of fundamental rights of refugees during refuge and after the repatriation process is over. Activities enhance poverty reduction and empowerment through education.
Peace and Building
People who have run away from a crisis are in great need of
education. Return to war torn areas is difficult and help is needed, not only
in basic skills training and the reconstruction of infrastructure but also in
restarting peaceful cohabitation amongst communities.
Currently FRC focuses primarily on adult education. The syllabus includes topics on health, hygiene, environmental protection and civic rights in addition to reading, writing and arithmetic.
The majority of participants are women because their level of education and their status in refugee settlements and returnee communities are inferior to those of men.
