Specialists
Refugee Education Solutions
Did you know that 42% of people uprooted by hatred and violence worldwide are children? Did you know that 48% of refugee children do not have access to education? The need to create solutions is obvious. Source: United Nations One of the consistent concerns we hear from refugees and asylum seekers is that their children are falling behind when it comes to their education. In many cases, uprooted children who have access to education find the quality is lacking due to a myriad of reasons including overcrowded and under resourced classrooms, a lack of well-trained teachers, a lack of textbooks and even the most basic resources such as pencils and paper. They fear how this will impact their future. UNHCR has underlined the great need to find solutions to the challenges refugee children and youth often face when it comes to opportunities to pursue a quality education.
Our Mission
We are helping refugee children and youth survive and recover from forced displacement by overcoming obstacles and finding solutions that increase their access to quality education.
Our Consultant
Whitney Gerdes serves as our Refugee Education Specialist (RES). The IAFR RES helps identify gaps in education and resources, recommend solutions, and assist with the implementation of initiatives intended to improve the accessibility and quality of education available to refugees and asylum seekers.
Based in Vienna, Austria, Whitney serves our IAFR ministry locations as well as other like-minded organisations, churches, and individuals serving refugees and asylum seekers.
As a life-long teacher, Whitney has seen firsthand how education can provide solid ground, through cognitive development and healing relationships, for children and youth in unstable places.
