Education as a Pathway to Self-Reliance: Josianne’s Story

For many refugees arriving in Kenya, rebuilding a life begins with navigating a new language, unfamiliar systems and the challenge of finding a way to earn a living. For refugee women, these challenges can be compounded by interrupted education, caregiving responsibilities and limited opportunities to earn an income.

Josianne’s experience reflects many of these barriers. She arrived in Kenya at 17 after fleeing war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, alone and without family or a place to live. She could not speak English or Swahili, making it difficult to ask for help, continue her education or find work.

While searching for employment, a man offered her work but instead exploited her, leaving her pregnant and without a support system.

In 2017, UNHCR connected Josianne to RefuSHE. She and her three-month-old son entered RefuSHE’s Safe House, where they received shelter, medical care and emotional support.

With her immediate needs supported, Josianne began thinking about what she wanted for her future. She enrolled in RefuSHE’s Girls Empowerment Program, where she learned English and Swahili, strengthened her literacy and numeracy skills, and progressed through the Kenyan primary school curriculum.

She later pursued vocational training in dressmaking, while also developing skills in entrepreneurship and digital literacy.

For Josianne, education became more than a way to continue learning. It gave her skills she could use to build an income and work towards greater independence.

Today, nine years after joining RefuSHE, Josianne is a member of the Artisan Collective, where she creates tie-dye textiles and clothing. On a good month, artisans in the Collective can earn up to KSh 30,000.

She has also started a small business selling baby clothes. Her ambition is to eventually open a physical shop where she can make clothes for women and children.

“I feel confident that when I leave RefuSHE, I can start my own business because I have learned dressmaking, entrepreneurship and digital literacy.”

For Josianne, the journey towards independence has also been shaped by the relationships she has built along the way. She describes the women she works with as a source of support that extends beyond the RefuSHE campus.

“I interact with other girls and we work while sharing our stories and stressors. We laugh about it and support each other even outside of RefuSHE. They are like my sisters.”

At RefuSHE, education and skills development are part of supporting refugee women and girls to build greater economic independence. For Josianne, the skills she has gained are helping her prepare for life beyond RefuSHE.

Nine years after arriving in Kenya, she is earning an income, growing a small business and working towards the future she once had to leave behind.