World Refugee Day
Africa is home to nearly one-third of the world’s refugees and displaced people, many of them young women.
At the Foundation, we believe it’s impossible to unlock Africa’s full economic potential without harnessing the talents of diverse young people, including refugees and displaced persons. That’s why our Refugees and Displaced Persons strategy focuses on expanding access to education, entrepreneurship, and dignified work - while working with partners, including refugee-led organizations, to remove barriers and support long-term inclusion.
As part of its Young Africa Works strategy, the Mastercard Foundation seeks to enable 30 million young people, including 2.5 million refugees and displaced persons, to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030.
This World Refugee Day, we celebrate the contributions of refugees and displaced youth across the continent. Here, we share their stories of resilience, ambition, and leadership.
#TalentBeyondBorders
Watch: From Refugee to Renewable Energy Leader: Vasco's Journey in Kakuma
Featured in this video: Vasco Hamisi
As co-founder of Okapi Green Energy, Vasco is expanding access to affordable solar energy in Kakuma while creating jobs and training opportunities for refugee youth, especially young women.
Three Refugee Youth Leaders Driving Inclusion and Policy Change
Across three different fields, three young people navigating displacement are building businesses, strengthening communities, and driving change in their respective contexts. This World Refugee Day, we asked them what fuels their work, and what policies and systems need to shift to unlock greater opportunity for refugee and displaced youth.
From Refugee to Renewable Energy Leader: Vasco’s Journey in Kakuma
Vasco Hamisi Co-Founded Okapi Green Energy Limited, a company led by refugees that aims to bring affordable and reliable solar power to people in Kakuma who cannot afford electricity.
Learn more about Vasco's journey
How Second-Chance Education Opportunities Are Helping Young Refugees in Uganda Return to Learning
Interrupted learning is recognized as a wider national challenge affecting refugee and host communities and the Accelerated Education Program was designed in response. Learn about how the program is equipping young people with skills for education, work and entrepreneurship.
Learn moreWhat She Builds: Young Refugee Women Turning Skill Into Possibility
In Kakuma and Dadaab, three young refugee women are using work, care and lived experience to build pathways for themselves and others.
Read the Inspiring Stories of Young People
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Yasin Hassen Mohamud
Read Yasin's story“I’m not asking anyone for money now ... have my own income.”
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James Gihoma Ntakiruti
Read James' storyWhat started with 17 children under a community shed has grown into one of the most impactful refugee-led initiatives in Uganda.
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Nyibol Racheal
Watch Nyibol's storyNyibol and her small team of refugees have served close to 2,000 refugees from different communities.
Watch the Inspiring Stories of Young Refugees and Displaced Persons
Interview with Grace Konan
Interview with Amos Kwizera
Watch Three Stories of Refugee and Displaced Persons
From Camp to Campus - Prisca's Journey to Becoming a Mastercard Foundation Scholar
The Emerging Market in Juba: Victoria’s Healthcare Clinic
In her neighbourhood of Gurei, Victoria has built a dedicated team of six people, providing local nurses, laboratory technicians, and support staff with stable jobs.
Reflections from the Sudan Youth Dialogues, Nairobi Edition
By leveraging local networks and sourcing from local markets, young people are cutting through layers of bureaucracy and adapting quickly to changing needs, delivering critical support and modelling a community-driven approach to recovery and development.
Learn more
