Aime Joseph, a Congolese refugee is one of the trainees who recently graduated from Nifas Silk Polytechnic College in Addis Ababa in Wielding field. “I left Congo six years ago and came to Ethiopia seeking asylum in Ethiopia. I am happy to graduate and I feel home” said Joseph.
Nifas Silk Polytechnic College is Ethiopia’s first Integrated Public Vocational College established to serve both refugees and Ethiopians. The institution lays the foundation for joint learning of hundreds of refugees and Ethiopians. In line with this the college has recently graduated first batch of refugees and Ethiopian students from different neighboring countries in different fields.
Ethiopia has long history of hosting refugees. The government of Ethiopia is currently hosting nearly 900,000 refugees, making it the second largest refugee-hosting country in Africa. More than 98 percent of refugees in Ethiopia originate from four neighboring countries South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea and Sudan. And some nationals from other countries undergo individual refugee status determination.
Most of these refuges are living in camps in their respective areas which means close to their homeland. The government of Ethiopia is offering educational opportunities for the refugees in different educational sectors which are nearest to their camps.
In collaboration with German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the government is working to improve the employment perspective of the refugees and host communities across the country in different regions.
Special initiative tackling the root causes of displacement, reintegrating refugee was introduced which aimed to promote the integration of refugee and to strengthen host communities. The program focuses on three areas enhancing the quality and employment relevance of vocational training, expanding access to vocational training, and fostering entrepreneurship and employment opportunity for refugees and host communities.
Hundreds of refugees have graduated in diverse fields of study following the conclusion of the academic year in Ethiopia. The college graduates refugee in four different training fields auto-mechanics, food preparation and bakery, garment and wielding, said Melese Yigzaw Dean of Nifas Silk Polytechnic College.
The opportunity will enable young refugees to unlock their potential by addressing key barriers to higher education while motivating refugee children to stay in school and succeed academically.
Joseph said everyone has the right to education unless the situation obliged you to drop from school enrolling. The principle stated right to education even in a place with few resources or systems, such as refugee camps, informal settlements, or temporary living spaces.
Daniel Hailu, an Eritrean refugee left his homeland five years ago. He was also one of the graduates. “Today and yesterday we Eritrean and Ethiopian are one. After lots of ups and downs challenging pace I graduated from Ethiopia in food preparation field. I thank Ethiopian government and college for offering this opportunity” said Daniel.
With the skills and knowledge provided by education, refugees find it easier to integrate into new communities. In regions devastated by war and endemic violence, a skilled, educated population is vital for the reconstruction and long-term development of both host countries and countries of origin, Daniel says.
When refugees contribute to economic development, the wealth of the entire community can increase: the new goods and services that are offered create jobs and products valued by all. The creation of new revenue and opportunities for both host and refugee communities contributes to the integration of refugees into a society, he noted.
Continued insecurity within neighboring states has resulted in sustained refugee movements, either directly as a result of internal conflict and human rights abuses or as a result of conflict related to completion for scare natural resources and drought related food insecurity, according to Adissu Kebnessa Deputy Director General of Administration for Refugee and Returnee (ARRA).
Eritreans, South Sudanese, Sudanese, Yemenis and Somalis originating from South and Central Somalia are recognized as refugees. Nationals from other countries undergo individual refugee status determination.
The nation hosted hundreds of thousand refugees who were forced to flee their homes as a result of insecurity, political instability, conflict, and other problems in their countries of origin. Ethiopia is one of the largest refugee asylum countries world-wide, and the second largest in Africa.
The majority of refugees in Ethiopia are located in Tigray, Afar, Benishangul-Gumuz, Gambella, and the Somali Regional State. The South Sudanese are the largest refugee population in Ethiopia. Renewed violence in the country, that increasingly impacted border areas, has resulted in hundreds of thousands of new arrivals seeking asylum.
The Ethiopian Herald July 27/2019
BY HAILE DEMEKE
