From a refugee camp to the classroom of her dreams
From a refugee camp to the classroom of her dreams
For 22-year-old Faith Peter Kuol, a bright student from South Sudan, life in Dadaab’s Dagahaley refugee camp is about to change in ways she once thought impossible. Soon, she will pack her books and board a plane to Germany - a journey that will bring her closer to her lifelong dream of becoming a teacher.
Faith poses for a photo in Dadaab with refugee women and girls that she teaches
Thanks to Malengo, an organization that supports ambitious students from low-income and refugee backgrounds, Faith is among nine scholars from Dadaab preparing to begin their studies in Germany. Now in its third cohort, the Malengo scholarship continues to open doors for talented young people who might otherwise never access higher education. For Faith and her peers, this is more than a chance to study abroad - it’s an opportunity to shape their futures and give back to their communities.
A teacher at heart
Faith’s passion for learning began long before this scholarship. After finishing high school, she volunteered to teach Sudanese women and girls in her community - under trees, inside their homes, or anywhere there was space to learn.
With seven family members relying on her, Faith’s determination was tested daily. She walked an hour to school each morning, often without breakfast, and struggled to keep up with lessons in unfamiliar languages of all the students in her classroom.
“Many days I studied hungry,” she recalls. “But I loved teaching too much to stop.”
Faith gives free language lessons to refugee women and girls in Dagahaley refugee camp, Dadaab, Kenya
A chance to give back
Faith’s next step is a one-year German language course in Kenya. Once she reaches the required proficiency, she will travel to Germany to begin her university studies, where she’ll also be allowed to work part-time.
But this isn’t just a one-way opportunity. Under Malengo’s “pay-it-forward” model, each scholar contributes a small portion of their future income to support the next group of students.
“This opportunity is bigger than me,” Faith says. “One day, another girl will go to university because I helped keep the door open.”
Faith credits UNHCR for ensuring she could complete both primary and secondary education in Dadaab, a foundation that made this milestone possible. “Through UNHCR and Malengo, refugee youth have an opportunity to dream and to live their dreams,” she says.
Holding on to hope
In Dadaab, where opportunities beyond secondary school are rare, Faith knows how fragile hope can be.
“Some refugee youth have lost hope and turned to drugs, and others have even thought about taking their lives,” she says softly. “Because without hope, even the strongest spirit can break.”
Faith with her father Peter and younger brother Dominion
Faith dreams of returning to South Sudan after her studies - not only as a teacher, but as someone who can help transform education for the next generation.
“If even one girl in the camp sees my story and dares to believe in her own,” she says, smiling, “then I know I’ve already started teaching.”
Creating lasting opportunities
Across the Dadaab refugee complex, UNHCR and partners support 30 schools that serve more than 52,000 students. Each year, thousands of young refugees graduate with limited options for further education or employment. Opportunities like Malengo’s scholarship offer a powerful alternative - a bridge from displacement to possibility.
For Faith and the eight other scholars, this is not just a departure from camp life. It’s the beginning of a future defined by dignity, opportunity and hope.
