The Role of Windle Trust Kenya in Promotion of Education in Dadaab Camp, Kenya

Abstract

Education not only empowers individuals to live a better quality life, it also makes an enormous contribution to the development of a society. It is, however, very challenging to provide quality education to communities afflicted by conflict, particularly refugees. The study examined the role of Non-Governmental Organizations in the provision of education in conflicted societies. Specifically, the study analysed the role played by Windle Trust-Kenya in the provision of education among the refugees’ communities in Dadaab refugee Camps in Kenya. The study interrogated not only the strategies used by the Organization to promote education among the refugees, but also the challenges encountered in the provision of education in the specific refugee camps in Dadaab. The study employed a descriptive research design in order to probe into the efforts of the Organization towards supporting refugee education. Programme managers who have worked for Windle Trust Kenya, teachers employed by the Organization in Dadaab and academics who have served in Dadaab Refugee camp were interviewed using an interview schedule. Document analysis was also conducted from the different humanitarian organizations operating in Dadaab and from Kenyatta University Post Modern Library. These included journals, theses and text books. The research established that Windle Trust-Kenya has supported not only secondary and primary education in Dadaab but also tertiary education, through collaboration with different universities. Girls were found to be experiencing more challenges in pursuing education due to gender based violence and cultural beliefs among most of the refugees. Conclusively, the study established that education to refugees benefit both refugees and the host community as refugees who excel in education also give back to the host community