IMPACT
Building upon and investing in the strengths and capacities of refugees.
Funded projects ⤵
Meet our Refugee Grant Partners
Green Uhuru
Green Uhuru was co-founded by two refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2018 in Dzaleka refugee camp, Malawi. Green Uhuru tackles environmental issues in their communtiy while creating jobs and helping people in their camp make a living.
The Beureuh School
The Beureuh School is a community-led middle and high school in Beureuh village in south Chad. Over 700 students from two UNHCR refugee camps and six local villages attend per year. In 2021, FRI is supporting the salaries of the school leadeship and ideas for sustainability.
Refugee Initiatives Chad
In January 2021, in partnership with ACRA, FRI shared an opportunity for funding across five refugee camps in southern Chad to identify and fund promising, early-stage refugee ideas and initiatives.
From 2008 to 2020 FRI funded projects originating with the UN Refugee Agency, local and international NGOs, refugee groups or FRI itself. FRI now only funds initiatives originating from the refugee community.
COVID-19 Response +
In April 2020, we transferred funds to ACRA to provide hygiene kits with soap, buckets, and masks to more than 800 refugee and local families in the Moissala area.
Silvia Fregoso, the Director of ACRA, our partner in Chad, expressed her concern that refugee and Chadian communities in remote areas will not be included in the regional humanitarian response. While the UNHCR is mobilizing resources, it is only targeting refugees living in the camps under its control—leaving a large number of refugees and locals in southern Chad outside of their COVID-19 response.
The Beureuh School +
Founded by a consortium of CARE, UNICEF and FRI, the Beureuh School is a community-led middle and high school in Beureuh village in south Chad. Over 700 students from two UNHCR refugee camps and six local villages attend per year.
“This school is a center of excellence in the region. I see that the teachers are motivated to walk a far distance to come help and work here.” — Mbainarem Phares, Director of the Beureuh School
We’ve been supporting the initiatives of the school staff, students and parents to maintain the quality of the school.
Advancing leadership through university scholarships +
In partnership with ACRA, FRI provides scholarships for refugee and local students. To date, three women have graduated with degrees and six students are enrolled. Asra Ronel Prisca and Madjiressem Asnat to attend university in Chad. After completing three years, both became teachers. Today, Asnat teaches high school biology, and Prisca serves as an interpreter for UNHCR. Both women beam when talking about their university experience.
Prisca is passionate about encouraging girls in her community. "Education is made for girls and boys. Girls should be in school with the boys. There should be equality. I encourage a lot of girls. Some girls tell me, 'oh, I cannot because I'm already married and have children. What will I do in school?' But I tell them no, it is your right to go to school. Look at me, I'm married and I have children and I still went to University."
Wheelchairs and tricycles +
Though a partnership with CARE International, we’ve funded wheelchairs and tricycles, and their repairs to help ease the lives of people with disabilities in camps and villages across southern Chad.
Caring for people with disabilities is a community-led effort. Across refugee camps in the south, community members volunteer their time to ensure people are living dignified lives and accessing the services they need.
Helping families keep their daughters in school +
Refugee families have lost a lot in crossing the border. As they try to rebuild their lives, for some it’s a daily struggle to provide for their families. In these difficult circumstances, girls are often the first to drop out of school to help with household chores, work, and reduce the burdens on their families by getting married early. However, with a little extra monthly support, refugee families have been able to keep their daughters in school.
To date, the Fund for Refugee Initiatives has supported the school fees for 707 refugee girls.
Girl Guides for the protection of women and children +
The FRI financed a three-step program of the Association des Guides du Tchad (AGT) that initially trained women members of AGT from six areas in Chad in the rights of women and children and in techniques of female empowerment. Once trained, these volunteers sensitized women and children in the refugee camps about gender-based sexual violence and the rights of women and children. Finally, the instructors conducted extensive training of a smaller number of women so that they can continue the effort after the project is completed. Refugees trained by the Girl Guides continue the effort to reduce domestic violence.
Livelihood support +
The priority need of the 13,000 refugees who were living at Yaroungou was to increase agricultural production. In cooperation with COOPI, an Italian NGO, FRI supported groups of farmers to buy oxen and plow units that increase production by bringing additional land under cultivation as well as making more efficient use of land already in production.
Additional border structure +
Refugees from the CAR tend to cross into southwest Chad at two points where tracks suitable for vehicles cross the border. The refugees must then wait at the border, sometimes for weeks, until the UN can send trucks to pick them up. In early 2008, one of these crossing points had a structure to shield the refugees from the sun and rain as well as latrines and a well producing potable water. The other crossing, near the tiny village of Bitoye, had no facilities. Refugees lived in the bush plain and simple. CRF financed the construction by CARE of a shed, four latrines and well.
Supplemental food +
Among the tens of thousands of refugees fleeing the conflict in the CAR in 2013-14 were hundreds of people with special needs. Using an anonymous $15,000 donation from a multi-national company operating in Chad, CRF provided 5,000 kg of rice, 12,500 kg of beans, 800 kg of salt and 1,575 ltr. of oil to such people over a four month period beginning in April 2014.
Electricity for health centers +
FRI, in partnership with CSSI, funded solar power for health clinics serving Amboko, Gondje, Dosseye and Belom refugee camps to replace the use of kerosene which is expensive, dangerous and not always available. The solar facilities provide light for the clinics and power for refrigerators in which medicines and immunization materials are stored.
Supporting youth soccer +
Local and refugee students expressed a strong desire for soccer fields.
The FRI provided the funds so that the community could build two soccer fields in refugee camps and one in the host village of Gore. The Gore field was a step toward integrating the CAR refugees into local activities, a long-term UN Refugee Agency goal.
“We form groups and we do the work collectively and find solutions.”
