DAFI scholarship for a better future

Äthiopien | since June 2020 | UNO-Flüchtlingshilfe

In order to provide particularly gifted refugees with access to higher education, the Beurer Foundation supports the DAFI scholarship programme ("German Academic Refugee Initiative Albert Einstein") in Ethiopia. Currently, 40 students are supported by the Beurer Foundation. The project is co-funded by the UN Refugee Agency and coordinated and implemented by the UNHCR, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Because of wars, access to education is often difficult for refugees, as necessary papers or money for tuition fees are missing. 37% of young people worldwide have access to higher education, but only 3% are refugees. Thus the potential of an entire generation of refugees is lost.

The list of graduates mainly includes doctors, teachers and engineers, who can then render an important service to other refugees in their professions. Volunteering is an integral part of the programme. DAFI scholarship holders organise "health screenings" or teach other refugees.

Many graduates later return to their home country and carry out valuable development work there. So, the scholarship holders have an important role to play in promoting and stabilising peace.

Further information about UNO can be found here: https://www.uno-fluechtlingshilfe.de/

Personal report from John from Sudan

John made his own periodic table to study at home in Assosa, Sherkole Camp, Ethiopia.
Twenty-year-old John has made a lot of sacrifices throughout his life in the name of education. Separated from his family when he was only 14, he headed to Ethiopia to live with a cousin, looking for safety and a chance to finish his studies.
In Ethiopia, John continued being the best student amongst his class, graduated from secondary school and passed the test to enter the university. And with that, he received the DAFI scholarship. "When I heard I had a scholarship, I felt happy because it isn't every day you get a chance like this, not even in Sudan. You need a lot of money to study in the university. And I will be the first one in my family to graduate from the university." Today, he is studying Applied Chemistry at Assosa University.
After graduating, he aims to give back to his community. "I want to open a small school to teach chemistry and applied sciences. Many students fear chemistry so I want to help them pass. Even if it means teaching under a shade of a tree, or in one of the schools here in the camp, I just want to teach.

The school in Bondio before the beginning of the new building.

Ceremonial laying of the foundation stone for the new school

The foundation of the new school building

You can support this project:

Beurer-Stiftung
IBAN: DE08 6305 0000 0021 2360 35
Sparkasse Ulm
BIC: SOLADES1ULM
Reference: „Project name"

We will return any donation by a written confirmation.