Ekpokpa Project

The project is implemented by Paul Awan Initiative for Development (PAiD) in Nigeria, Cameroon and Ukraine (online). It began in June 2023 and is currently ongoing.

1. Enable refugees, the displaced and other persons of concern who have lost access to education to access education, acquire skills and other opportunities.
2. Enable refugees and displaced people to become self-reliant and better integrate into their host communities
3. Enable refugees to be equipped with the right knowledge and skills to contribute to rebuilding their societies of origin in cases where the cause for displacement was war and conflicts.

Main activities of the Good Practice

Elements which helped facilitate the implementation of the good practice

Our successful implementation of vocational skill programme during covid lockdown help to raise our profile in the area of providing vocational education and skill acquisition services. This led refugees hosted in my community to sign an appeal for me to facilitate a programme to support them. Eventually the original Strategic Partnership Against Covid Epidemic (SPACE) evolved into Refuge University Initiative facilitated by the Paul Awan Initiative for Development.

Partners involved

• The Royal Family Innovation and Study Hub
• Refugee ICT and Livelihood initiative
• Royal Repository of Innovation and Studies 
• Paul Awan Initiative for Development 
   

What challenges were encountered in delivering the project and how were they overcome?

Challenges

1. Initially there was a challenge of limited physical space to operate from given the high level of interest the project attracted.
2. There was the challenge of funding because even though majority of our instructors and other staff work pro bono, we still needed money to cover he logistical aspects of the project. We needed funds to cover things like transportation to site whenever the practical course is being delivered. Sometimes, some participants would need to be supported with transportation to attend those physical courses as well as subscription for internet access sometimes to enable them to join online classes.

How they were overcome

1. We overcome the challenge of physical space by transitioning most of our operation to run online. We limited ourselves to an administrave office which helped us cut cost significantly. For course where physical participation was required, we leverage on the instructors to use their premise where that was possible.
2. Having cut cost by transitioning to operate online, we where able to free up funds to solve some logistical needs like internet subscription for administrative activities as well as supporting participants and volunteers with subscription where necessary.
3. We also sort partnerships, with individuals, and organisations who from time to time supported the project with funds.

Results of the Good Practice

1. Our project has significantly helped to improve the wellbeing of refugees, displaced persons, and other participants. Those who had completely lost access to education have been able to get access to some form of education.
2. We have been able to equip many of the participants with market-ready and future-proofing skills and many of them have been able to establish small to medium scale enterprises with this vocational skills.
3. With the project, we have been able to take of the pressure off of the host communities some of which are already very poor and cannot support refugees.
4. Our project helps the refugees to better integrate into their host communities and contribute to its social and economic development.
5. Our good practice helps to improve the self-esteem of the refugees and displaced some of whose lives had been devastated by the situation that made them refugees in the first place.
6. Our project prepares refugees for the possible return to their countries of origin and to equips them to rebuild those communities of origin by the time things would have improved for their return.

In what way does the good practice meet one or more of the four objectives of the Global Compact on Refugees?

Objective 1: Ease the pressures on host countries

Objective 2: Enhance refugee self-reliance

Our vocational education for instance equips refugees with market-ready skills. Some participants have gone on to establish small to medium scale enterprises which makes them less reliant on public funded support.

Objective 3: Expand access to third-country solutions

'The guidance that I mentioned that we provide in terms of the procedures for applying for refugee and asylum status presents a significant knowledge empowerment we are providing. This helps with expanding access to third-country solutions.

Objective 4: Support conditions in countries of origin for return in safety and dignity

'This is precisely what the 'Ekpokpa Project' aspect of our good practice is about. Helping them with education and practical skills means refugees can eventually return with dignity to their countries of origin and contribute thto e rebuilding of those communities

Next steps

'Yes, there is an expectation that the project will continue long into the future because learning never stops and we do not envisage learning to stop for refugees even though conflicts and other factors had cut there access to education.

Are there areas in which support would be required to continue and/or scale up your good practice?