UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has announced an expanded three-year global partnership with TECNO, the innovative technology brand, to tackle education gaps among refugee children and youth across Africa. Building on five years of successful collaboration, the two organizations have launched the initiative “Together We Can Bring Education to African Children and Youth,” supporting UNHCR’s Primary Impact Program and the DAFI (Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative) Tertiary Scholarship Program.
The renewed partnership aims to benefit more than 54,000 refugee children and 15 DAFI scholars by providing improved access to quality learning opportunities over the next three years. It highlights TECNO’s long-standing commitment to Africa’s development and UNHCR’s ongoing efforts to protect and empower displaced populations through education.
According to UNHCR, of the 31.6 million refugees under its mandate, approximately 14.8 million are children of school age. However, nearly half of them lack access to formal education, facing barriers such as limited school resources, psychological trauma, discrimination, and systemic exclusion. Through initiatives like Primary Impact and DAFI, UNHCR and its partners are working to overcome these obstacles and offer displaced youth a pathway to a brighter future.
The collaboration will focus strongly on the East and Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region—areas that continue to grapple with some of the continent’s most severe displacement crises. In 2024 alone, millions of people were displaced due to conflicts in South Sudan, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sudan, alongside natural disasters like extreme flooding. Over 5.4 million refugees and 18.8 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) face compounded challenges in these regions.
Education is not just essential for the personal development of displaced youth but is also a catalyst for broader economic and social progress. By investing in education, the partnership aims to break the cycle of poverty, build economic resilience, and foster stronger social cohesion across African communities. Initial support through this partnership will target at least 18,000 refugee children and five DAFI scholars in 2025.
“Education is a cornerstone of resilience and hope for displaced youth,” said Sophie Muller, UNHCR Representative in China. “We are excited to deepen our collaboration with TECNO. Their commitment has expanded access to education for refugee children in Africa and exemplifies how private sector partnerships can drive meaningful impact.”
Jack Guo, General Manager of TECNO, emphasized the brand’s commitment to education: “Education is the driving force in transforming the lives of refugees and fostering a promising future. By renewing our collaboration with UNHCR, TECNO remains dedicated to offering high-quality educational support, helping displaced youth unlock their potential and contribute to Africa’s sustainable development.”
Since 2020, the UNHCR-TECNO partnership has already reached over 24,000 refugee children through improved school infrastructure and supported 40 DAFI scholars in higher education. Additionally, initiatives like the TECNO internship program have opened career pathways for young refugees, demonstrating the private sector’s critical role in advancing global humanitarian efforts.
