Improving access to education for displaced children
Muna was only eight years old when she left her village, but she still remembers that day as the worst day of her life. "They told us we would only leave for three days, but we never came back," she says. "We lost a lot of relatives the day we left. Nevertheless, we kept going to make sure we survived.”
She did not only lose relatives, but also her home and access to education. She eventually enrolled in a new school, yet she felt lonely and out of place as she missed her normal life.
Significant improvements were observed when the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) intervened at Muna’s school through the Yemen Displacement Response programme titled ECHO HIP 2021 Yemen Improving living conditions within IDP hosting sites in Yemen. The programme, funded by the European Union Humanitarian Aid, aims to support 12,620 children currently enrolled in schools. We ensure that they have access to an adequate supply of learning materials in order to actively engage in their lessons. NRC has constructed additional classrooms, allowing more displaced children, including Muna, to enrol and remain in school.
The construction of new classrooms meant that Muna was able to enjoy the space, both for learning, and for playing games and drawing pictures with her classmates during breaks. "I felt happy when I saw the new classrooms and receiving new school materials," she says. "I felt that someone cares about us and our education."
Muna has made some friends at her new school. Her best friend is named Fatima. She was also forced to flee her home. She has learned to appreciate what she has and not to lose hope.
She says: "As long as we are alive, we can still dream. I dream of going back to my home and becoming a doctor or a teacher someday."