Mastercard Foundation

About the partnership

Since: 2021

Location: Kenya and Canada

In 2021, with the generous support of the Mastercard Foundation, under their COVID-19 Recovery & Resilience Programme, UNHCR was able to expand access to, and capacity to deliver, digital learning interventions to refugee children and young people in and out of school. This involves leveraging digital learning solutions through the extension of the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD)’s content and integrated support for refugee and host community youth. The project intends to ‘build back better’ in the wake of school closures due to the pandemic, thereby supporting displaced youth affected by lost learning time and increased drop-out rates. 

By strengthening capacity to deliver digital learning solutions during the COVID-19 response and recovery period, it is intended that children and youth out-of-school prior to COVID-19 (approximately 50% of school-age refugee children) will benefit from alternative pathways for learning. The hardware and software procured to support online and distance learning will be leveraged to improve learning outcomes as the situation stabilizes and was developed to reach both newly at-risk youth and vulnerable youth who were out-of-school before the pandemic. 

Together with our partners, UNHCR is delivering these interventions in primary and secondary schools in Kakuma and Dadaab refugee camps and Kalobeyei settlement, as well as expanding to include some urban schools in Nairobi, all in close collaboration with the Ministry of Education. Activities are being delivered with special attention to physical distancing, lost time, possible trauma, psychosocial issues and adaptation and expansion of digital learning to support remedial work, and associated training.  

Impact at a glance

• Expansion of connectivity, digital infrastructure and equipment. 
• Strengthened ICT integration targeting learners, teachers and parents with digital learning. 
• Improved coordination of digital learning interventions and alignment with national policy, plans and standards. 
• Delivery of supplementary learning and teaching materials, including audio-visual and multimedia content.

Sustainable Development Goals in focus

• SDG3 Good Health and Well-being 
• SDG4 Quality Education 
• SDG17 Partnerships for the Goals