Sudanese Teacher Helps Refugee Children Continue Their Education

Source: unrefugees.org
For more than three years, conflict in Sudan has upended the lives of nearly 13 million people. Thousands have fled to Ethiopia, one of Africas largest refugee-hosting countries, which offers protection to more than 1 million refugees and asylum-seekers from the region.

During a displacement crisis, children are particularly vulnerable. Displacement means more than losing the place they call home — it often means losing access to education and the opportunities it creates. Zuhar, a Sudanese refugee, mother of six and trained teacher, has made it her mission to help children continue learning, even in uncertain circumstances.

After fleeing Sudans Blue Nile State in 2024, Zuhar arrived at the Ura settlement in Ethiopia seeking safety and the chance for her children to continue their education. She quickly realized that many refugee children at Ura had experienced serious disruptions to their schooling. Prolonged conflict in Sudan and other parts of the world has left an entire generation of children at risk of falling behind.

She stepped forward to help. Today, she volunteers as a teacher at Ura, using her skills as an English and Geography teacher to support refugee children whose education has been interrupted by conflict and displacement.

“We can’t let our children stay like this without receiving education,” she says. “If we don’t support them and help them to get education, who will do that?”

Her words reflect an important truth: access to education is essential. It offers children stability and hope during times of crisis while equipping them with the skills they need to build brighter futures.

As Ethiopia scales up its refugee inclusion efforts, including through innovative frameworks like the Makatet Roadmap, which seeks to integrate refugees into national education, healthcare and employment systems, refugees like Zuhar are helping strengthen the communities around them.

Zuhars story highlights the importance of recognizing the skills and contributions of refugee teachers, who are uniquely positioned to support children who have experienced displacement. They understand the challenges their students face because they have lived them, too. Given the opportunity, they can become mentors and leaders within their communities.

For Zuhar, greater inclusion means providing the support, incentives, classrooms, library spaces and learning materials needed to help refugee children continue their education. When refugee children are given the chance to learn, they are also given a pathway to reach their full potential, one lesson at a time.