Education

Community Centres in Ethiopia

25.10.2016
Ethiopia

Organization:

Jesuit Refugee Service

Date program started:

1996

Purpose:

To create a safe and friendly environment for urban refugees and asylum seekers.

Objective:

Provide a location for urban refugees and asylum seekers to access a range of services
Host workshops, vocational training and IT services
Run an emergency needs program
Encourage children and young people to participate in sports

Targeted population:

Refugees in Addis Ababa in need of a range of services
Those in need of emergency assistance, children and young people

Challenge addressed:

Lack of access to a friendly, social environment where urban refugees can meet with one another
Addressing lack of available language and skills training, counselling and sports facilities

Program description:

The community centre was establish by the Jesuit Refugee Service in 1996 to provide a safe and welcoming environment for urban refugees and asylum seekers
The centre has provided a single site for socialising, internet and library access, language, computer and vocational training and workshops
The centre has also made helped addressed counselling and psychosocial support issues
The centre also runs sporting events for children and young people and an emergency needs program
Helped provide structure and guidance to help refugees handle their unpredictable lives

Impact on targeted population:

The centre has had a range of services more available to urban refugees and asylum seekers
In 2014, the centre provided support to more than 1,500 refugees and asylum seekers

Conditions required:

An accessible office with space to provide a variety of different services and activities

Support:

The community centre has recieved support from Entreculturas, Jesuit Mission Offices in Nürnberg, Canada and Brussels, the Canadian Catholic Organisation for Development and Peace and UNHCR

Resources:

JRS – Eastern Africa

JRS – Urban refugee response in Addis Ababa

Our impact

3700
refugees have better access to education and livelihood opportunities
40
countries in which our partner NGOs are implementing solutions
490
refugee children benefit from mathematics, english, art and sports classes
700
women can now support their families
650
refugees have access to critical healthcare and safety information

Get Involved

We’ve accomplished so much, but the growing urgency of refugee issues in cities means we have a lot more to do and we can’t do it alone. Support the refugee communities that need it most.