Refugee students defy ravages of war and torture, conquer science

Seeking asylum in Kenya was heartbreaking for Khor Wiyual.

He was barely 11 years old when he was forced to flee South Sudan following the outbreak of a civil war. The world that he knew crumbled.

While things have since cooled down in the world’s youngest nation, education remains his only hope for a bright future now that he is away from home.

The 21-year-old is now preparing to pursue his dream career of becoming a doctor abroad, thanks to his sharp academic acumen.

Wiyual sat his KCSE exams last year and scored a mean grade of A- (minus), with straight As in Mathematics, Biology, and Chemistry.

“I was so demoralised settling at the camp as a young boy. I was traumatised. But I am happy that the struggles did not dictate my career path,” says Wiyual.

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The former student at Vision Secondary School attributes his stellar performance to dedicated teachers who emphasised the Science Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programme.

The school's participation in science contests also challenged Wiyual to put more effort into doing well in science subjects, sharpening his understanding of the subjects by learning from other students and teachers.

“Science teachers inspired me to put more effort into getting good grades, and gradually, I became interested. I am happy my efforts bore fruits,” adds Wiyual.

He is optimistic he will leave a footprint in medicine by finding solutions to diseases affecting people, especially in his native South Sudan.

In his mind is his mother, who has been ailing from a foot disease for decades.

“My mother inspires me to study medicine. I grew up seeing her battle a foot disease. It pains me more that since we parted ways, I have never seen or heard from her because she resides in an area with poor network connectivity,” he says.

He recalls: "I long for the day I will meet her, having pursued my ambitions. I want to make her proud."

As they fled for safety, he left her at a hospital where she had sought refuge and treatment. His father was trapped in a different town.

The availability of laboratory equipment and reagents supported by prospects also enabled him and other learners to familiarise themselves with practical science, the knowledge they applied during national exams.

In a world where refugees are neither seen nor heard, Wiyual is one of the many bright students who have chosen not to allow troubled times to take away their peace or his dreams for a better tomorrow.

Education support to refugee learners at the Daadab Refugee camp is provided through PROSPECTS, a multi-year programme financed by the government of The Netherlands aiming to improve living conditions for people who have been forced to flee their homes and for the communities that host them.

Serah Musengya, an Education Officer with UNICEF Kenya, explains that the partnership aims to enhance an enabling environment for the socio-economic inclusion of forcibly displaced persons through education, employment, protection, and critical infrastructure, to build self-reliance and overall resilience.

Within the neighbourhood is Anisa Abdullahi. She is also proud to have excelled in science subjects, a score that will enable her to enrol in medical school and pursue a career as a nurse.

The 19-year-old former student of Tumaini Girls School demystified the long-held belief that only boys do well in science subjects while girls excel in languages.

“I do not believe in myths that STEM subjects are difficult and that only boys excel. I scored a B+ and had an A in Biology, a B in Mathematics, and a B+ in Chemistry,” said Abdullahi.

Abdullahi developed an interest in science subjects while in Form One.

“I wanted to do well as a career woman and, therefore, needed to perform well, and so I did.”

She adds, “I will tell girls to develop a positive mindset. Everything has to do with attitude. We need to stop stereotypes and work towards performing well.”

Abdullahi’s mother fled from Somalia to Kenya in 2005 due to clan skirmishes while carrying her pregnancy, and delivered her the same year in Kenya.

“I have fought many battles, from being a refugee, a Somali and a female. People said refugees do not perform well and that Somalis are business-oriented and cannot do well in academics," she said.

I was also told that females do not perform well in academics. But I gave a deaf ear to all that, and I worked towards excelling. I did it,” she said.

“I am proud because I studied in a tough environment, tough conditions, and I made it,” she adds.

She acknowledges support from teachers, UNICEF, and other partners in the programme for providing learners with resources like study materials and equipping laboratories.

However, she observes the need to have more teachers deployed to the school.

“For instance, we do not have physics, geography, computer, agriculture, and home science subjects because of lack of teachers, yet they give students a wide range of career choices,” she pleads. 

Josephine Nguta, the school’s principal, says the school, established in 2014, provides a safe space for refugee learners.

It nurtures both education and talents among learners.

“Most learners are coming from war-torn countries and need psychological support to enable them to focus on academics,” says Nguta.

“Some are battling the effects of sexual and Gender-Based Violence, and therefore need a lot of support”.

The school has 377 learners, all under the Elimu scholarship.

Ms Musengya notes the PROSPECTS partnership leverages the comparative advantages and synergies of the partners to enhance quality education and protection of refugees and host communities.

The PROSPECTS partnership supports education and learning by acclamation within STEM in Kakuma and Dadaab refugee camps.

PROSPECTS aims to improve learning outcomes in science subjects within the refugee camp and the surrounding host community.

Musengya notes that targeted intra and inter-school competitions have led to the exchange of ideas with top students from other regional schools, sparking interest in STEM subjects that has seen more students score excellent grades in science subjects.

“With STEM, students, more so girls, post excellent grades in biology, although some still struggle with physics and mathematics,” says Musengya.

At least 45 Kenyan STEM  teachers have been deployed to respective secondary schools within the camp and host community.

So far, the programme has benefited over 26,000 students in Kakuma and Dadaab refugee camps, among them 9, 200 girls and children with disabilities.

Several institutions, among them the Centre for Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education in Africa (CEMASTEA), the Ministry of Education, and its Semi-autonomous Government Agencies have been engaged in the development of STEM strategy and STEM policy to promote inclusive, relevant quality STEM education in the country.

Plans are also underway to scale the STEM programme in hosting secondary schools, by supporting refugee students accommodated within the hosting secondary schools in Turkana and Garissa countries.

At least 15 secondary schools under the Kenya Primary Education Equity in Learning (KPEEEL) have been identified in plans to scale up STEM education in Turkana and Garissa counties. 

STEM programme learners develop scientific innovations to improve a course outside the classroom.

At Brightstar Integrated Secondary school, students are busy with exploring scientific innovation ideas.

Among the innovations is using sugarcane rind to make a modern fibre box.

The innovation is meant to reduce environmental pollution and deforestation in Kenya, the continent, and the globe, which are living the harsh realities of climate change.

“Fibre boards from used sugarcane are used in making ceilings, kitchen chopping boards, laboratory stool boards among other,” explains Uwizeye Esperance, owner of the idea, together with John Lokang.

“Sugar remains are crushed into pieces, then grind them into finer particles,” Lokang explains about the production process.

After getting finer articles, the specimen is mixed on a basic surface, and have them levelled and further taken to a compression machine to be compacted.

“We came up with the project because we want to reduce environmental pollution and deforestation,” adds Esperance.

She adds, “After chewing sugarcane, the waste is dumped all over the surface, yet it can be recycled. The product is very strong, and we have tested its heat conductivity, which is minimal, and can be used for ceiling in hot places like Turkana to bring cooling effect in houses”.

To scale up the innovation, the learners call on support from individuals and donors.

Pal Thot and Auxillion Onorio are also helpful to support the online voting system project.

The learners use Google Form Technology for voting, which delivers results faster than manual voting.

With outcry of voter irregularities in Kenya and other countries, the students say the technology can be adopted for transparency and efficiency.

“Refugee learners benefit from the best innovative practises. We also make learning attractive to them,” Turkana County Education Director Henry Lubanga says.