Elimisha Kakuma
Nurturing a generation of globally educated refugees
Elimisha Kakuma—or "Educate Kakuma" in Kiswahili—is a college-access and preparation programme for high-achieving students in the Kakuma Refugee Camp, one of the world's largest refugee camps located in northwestern Kenya hosting over 300,000 refugees from across the region.
In Kakuma, education offers children and adolescents an escape from a difficult reality. But more importantly, a decent education creates a pathway to opportunities for the communities. However, as students get older, access to higher education becomes all but unattainable.
According to the , out of 12.4 million school-aged refugee children, nearly half (46 per cent) remain out of school. This means 5.7 million young minds are currently "overlooked" by global education systems.
Founded and led by former refugees, including co-founder and , Elimisha's programme is built on a simple conviction: when refugees gain access to education, they gain agency over their futures and their communities grow stronger as a result.
Elimisha gives refugee students resources and access that the camp simply can't provide on its own. Students who are accepted into Elimisha are provided with:
- Learning resources (for example: laptops, books and access to the Internet)
- Intensive academic instruction by international college faculty
- Exam preparation
- Mentorship by current college students
- End-to-end assistance with the college application process, including scholarship applications
- Immigration assistance
Refugee students have the talent and drive to compete globally, but their potential is constrained by the severe limits on resources and support available to them.
While many students have ambitious educational goals, they often have no idea where to begin. With so few opportunities for growth in the camp, they're caught in a cycle that's hard to break.
Elimisha serves as a bridge to a better future:
- 100 per cent acceptance and retention rate to universities around the world
- Nearly 50 students accepted to 30 universities including UC Berkeley, McGill and Northwestern University
- $20 million+ in scholarships secured
"When talent is supported, even in the most overlooked places, opportunity scales." — Elimisha Kakuma
- Average enrolment rate at the tertiary level is only 9 per cent (up from 7 per cent in 2025).
- At the lower grade levels, average enrolment rates for young refugees stood at 42 per cent for pre-primary school, 67 per cent for primary, and 37 per cent for secondary, respectively.
"For the child of war, an education can turn our tears of loss into a passion for peace."
Mary Maker, Co-founder, Elimisha Kakuma
From a child fleeing war in South Sudan to a global advocate for refugee education, Maker found security and hope in attending school at Kakuma. She has since become a teacher of young refugees in her community and sees education as an essential tool for rebuilding lives and empowering a generation of girls who are too often denied entrance into the classroom.
For refugee girls and women facing the increased risks that come with forced displacement, education is particularly important.
All photos courtesy of Elimisha Kakuma.