Study 1: Voices of Refugee Youth – Page 2

My story so far

I have been part of the Voices of Refugee Youth research study for the last 2.5 years. This blog outlines my story as a youth researcher so far.

The story goes back to the time when I had no idea about the research study. I first got to know about it through a close friend: he told me that there was a work opportunity with a research organisation based in the UK. I decided to apply to it for experience and monetary benefits, and later got to know that the role offered much more than this. So I applied and got short-listed, had an interview and passed the interview as well.

At the beginning, the instructors came and we (the group of youth researchers in Pakistan) started our initial two weeks training regarding the study, the objectives, our roles and the final outputs.

During this time, we learnt more about the study’s importance. We discussed that education research can empower research stakeholders through the data it produces: with the findings, it can better clarify our purposes to teach, lead and spend effectively, improve processes and priorities when introducing change, and also make informed decisions, which ultimately leads to making a very positive impact in education. Moreover, through better education we can support young people in society, and these persons have the potential to make decisions that will ultimately impact communities – both locally and globally – in a very positive way.

During the training, the instructors were very helpful and open to ideas. They were interested to hear from us what we refugees have in mind, welcoming new ideas and suggestions. After the training sessions for Unit 1 and learning the foundational research skills, we were askedoput these skills to practice. We visited different schools and universities, conducted a survey and interviewed participating students, listening to their stories and challenges they face. Subsequently, we have had two other training units and data collection points, DP2 (Data Point 2) and DP3. These all built on previous skills that we learned.

We spoke to a lot of students in different secondary schools and universities during data collection. Through this study, we got to know more about my fellow Afghans students’ experiences, heard their voices, and learnt about the challenges they face. These difficulties include barriers within the admission process, poor quality education, or a lack of learning resources and tools.

However, simply hearing these voices is not enough: conveying and building solid evidence and presenting this evidence to decision makers is important. That is what we – the youth researchers and Jigsaw/REUK in partnership with UNHCR – are doing, to make sure the voices of the voiceless are heard.

It was always my dream to make a positive impact and contribution to the Afghan refugee society where I belong, but I never had the required knowledge to know where to start from. The Voices of Refugee Youth study has really paved the way for me: what better way than education, through research and a proper understanding of Afghan students’ needs, can help in making that childhood dream of creating a positive impact and change for our war affected community a reality. I am therefore very excited to be part of this research study.

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Personal highlights from DP2 data collection

By Gentille Gasanabandi

Worldwide, the number of refugees has been increasing due to new crises and the lasting impact of old ones.(1) One crucial way to support refugees to achieve self-reliance and tackle the challenges they face in host countries is through the provision of quality education. The Voices of Refugees Youth study aims to research refugee education in order to generate evidence for informed decision making. In the following paragraphs, I narrate my experience as a youth researcher during the second phase of data collection for the Voices of Refugee Youth study, including the challenges met and my approaches to mitigate them.

Data Point 2 was the second round of data collection for the Voices of Refugee Youth study. It was conducted primarily in Mahama and Gihembe Refugee camps in October, 2021. It involved a survey with several hundred young refugees, evaluating the impact of post-primary education in emergencies. This data point also explored the effect of Covid-19 on these young refugees, in addition to their experience of education.

The first challenge I met while collecting data was the fact that refugees were moving from one camp to another. This happened because their former camp was in a zone prone to natural disasters and was overcrowded, while there was another less populated camp. Due to this situation it was not easy to find certain participants because the easiest identifier in a refugee camp is a home address. The home address became even more important as, after graduating from secondary school, many participants had changed their phone numbers. To mitigate this obstacle, I contacted the UNHCR staff member who was in charge of the relocation process to know which people were due to move last. I therefore started by surveying the latter participants and, when all were moved to the new location, I went there to complete the exercise with the remaining participants.

Secondly, Data Point 2 was made difficult by the fact that our participants who were first contacted in their final year of high school had moved out of the camp to seek jobs. This, compounded with other factors, made it difficult to reach out to some participants. Often, in order to get in touch with them, their schoolmates were contacted; sometimes this would not help and alternatively their parents had to be sought for and asked for the phone numbers of their children.

The last challenge worth mentioning is the impact of some of the students having to change schools. Mostly, this was for reasons that were far beyond the students’ level of education attainment. This is best exemplified by the story of Keza.

Keza is a 20 year old refugee who moved from her camp and came to a school close to Gihembe. When we were interviewing refugee students from Gihembe, we included Keza because she was also a refugee, although from a different camp. Her school expenses had previously been paid by one of her relatives who passed away near the beginning of her last year of high school. She could not afford the private school any more. She was then obliged to move to a public school where there was not the same course which she was taking at her former school. She therefore had to change her major in the final year. Before the year got in the half, her former classmates learnt about her situation and put together their allowances to pay her school fees. This ended up bringing her back to her old school and resuming her course of choice.

Like Keza, there were other participants who had moved between schools and therefore it took me time to get in contact with them. It was, however, worth the effort because these students often were the ones with particularly interesting stories.

To sum up, the second phase of data collection for the Voices of Refugee Youth study was an exciting experience. It had unexpected challenges and responding to them added value and content to the study.

(1) UNHCR (2021). https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/

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Reflections on co-authorship in academic research

By Rebecca Daltry

Participation is at the heart of the Voices of Refugee Youth study. From the outset, we have sought to find ways in which the youth researchers in Pakistan and Rwanda and Jigsaw/REUK staff in the UK can all make valuable contributions to every stage of the research process. Recently, this has involved the co-authorship of a journal article (currently under review) reflecting on the experience of delivering a participatory, youth-centred research study. This blog outlines the learnings which emerged from the process of writing the article, in the hope they can inform other efforts to increase diversity and representation in academic literature.

How did we approach co-authorship?

Producing a co-authored journal article has been outlined as a key output of the study since its inception. We began by determining the authorship team. Since it would not be feasible to include all 31 youth researchers in the team, they were invited to submit an application. Four youth researchers (two from Pakistan and Rwanda respectively, split evenly by gender) were selected, based on the quality of their application, experience of producing written reports and level of written English. They were joined by a sub-group of the Jigsaw/REUK researchers who work on the Voices of Refugee Youth study.

To begin the process of writing the article, the youth researchers were sent a series of questions/guiding prompts related to the article’s topic, in response to which they each produced several paragraphs of writing. This stage was collaborative – the Jigsaw/REUK team worked closely with the youth researchers by providing feedback and suggestions, and their writing went through several stages of revision.

The final written output from each youth researcher was then used as the foundation for the first draft of the article. The Jigsaw/REUK team undertook a process of linking together the different points and structuring the article accordingly. Having threaded together the argument, based on the youth researchers’ contributions, the Jigsaw/REUK team then added the framing material for the article and wrote any additional text required to complete the draft. As with all academic articles, this then went through several stages of editing – including a review completed by the youth researchers – before a final draft was submitted to the selected journal.

What did we learn from this approach?

While this approach enabled collaboration and written input from all authors, it was not without challenges. This arose primarily from the asynchronous nature of the different written contributions. While youth researchers contributed the main perspective of the article (through the production of written paragraphs on key topics), the Jigsaw/REUK team were tasked with threading together the different contributions and structuring the overall argument. This led to conversations over how best to frame the pre-written content. Quoting it verbatim seemed the most authentic way to represent each youth researcher’s voice and perspective. However, treating the youth researcher’s writing as quasi-interview data seemed to diminish their role as co-authors. Moreover, a certain amount of editing and combining of voices was required to produce a cohesive overarching argument.

These questions about editing together different written contributions were linked to discussions about the article’s tone of voice. Understandably, all authors have different styles of writing, and co-authorship is always a collaborative process in order to achieve a blended voice. This is exacerbated when the co-authors have varying levels of proficiency in the chosen language (in this case, English). Creating a cohesive tone of voice for the article therefore required a certain level of editing and threading together of different voices. However, there was wariness of editing the various contributions to the article to the extent that certain voices (particularly those more confident in writing in English) were at risk of dominating others.

These debates about collaboration and voice ultimately centred around the question of what constitutes authorship. At the beginning of the process, written authorship was primary. The youth researchers wrote paragraphs on the key topics of the article, which were treated as foundational to the argument. However, by the end of the editing process and the many discussions about the cohesion of all authors’ voices, we began to understand authorship as a broader process. In particular, spoken contribution and collaborative discussion was viewed as much a part of authorship as written contribution. These forms of contribution were seen to enable the representation of all perspectives, even when the article itself presented one cohesive voice. To underpin this representation, we also chose to include a selection of quotations from all authors within the article: this was viewed as a way to highlight individual voices and show their contribution to the collective whole. As a result, a careful balance of individuality and cohesion was struck in our approach.

What would we recommend for future approaches to co-authorship?

Overall, the process of co-authorship was a highly positive experience. It not only sought to enrich a historically inaccessible academic space, but also facilitated greater dialogue and discussion around what constitutes representation. This will serve as a strong basis on which to approach the dissemination of findings for the Voices of Refugee Youth study, as it enters its final year.

Specifically, the process of facilitating and debating co-authorship provided two key learnings for future approaches, which we hope can be of benefit to others publishing in the academic space. Firstly, we would recommend the recognition that authorship need not be limited to written contribution. Processes which enable discussion and spoken contribution can help to facilitate co-authorship amongst a team in which there are differing levels of proficiency in the language of communication.

Secondly, and relatedly, co-authorship can be strengthened by a structured and regular process of discussion and feedback. In the process of creating and refining the article, we found that the greatest progress was made when all authors were involved in responding to queries and contributing to the draft in a structured manner. This helped to facilitate a process through which each author could feed in their perspective and draw upon their specific skill set. Placing a high level of emphasis on discussion should therefore be foundational to enable equal contribution across the team.

Co-authorship has been a crucial means through which to explore participation in all stages of the research process. The lessons we have learned and recommendations we have proposed are not exhaustive, and we recognise that our approach has been in itself exploratory. We therefore welcome feedback from others seeking to engage in discussions around the implementation of participatory approaches to carrying out and communicating research.

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The importance of research ethics in refugee education research

By Aime Parfait Emerusenge and Aimee Furaha Tuyirate

Research ethics have been a key consideration since the beginning of the Voices of Refugee Youth study. As Youth Researchers, our first training sessions devoted hours of discussions on the topic of research ethics, considering the reasons why we should apply them during the research study. This blog explores the ways in which research ethics play an important role in refugee education research and the way they have been applied by the Youth Researchers during data collection for the Voices of Refugee Youth study.

Research ethics can keep at minimum the risk of harm to participants. There are many potential risks to consider. These include physical harm that participants may undergo as a result of participating in the research such as injury or physical abuse to name but a few, the psychological distress and discomfort which may be caused by the nature of the questions used during the research, the social disadvantage for the participants due to their participation in the research, the harm to financial status due to the financial losses or costs that participants may have for participating in the research, and the invasion of privacy and anonymity when their identity is known by the third parties due to the research. Ensuring ethical compliance can prevent such issues in refugee education research, hence its importance.

Although we did not encounter all the risks stated above, there were some cases which demanded careful consideration. This often happened while interviewing refugee participants and asking potentially sensitive questions about challenges they have faced. One youth researcher shared her experience of this: she interviewed a female participant who became emotional after remembering the way she faced difficulties in completing her secondary education, due to the lack of food, clothes, and other basic school materials. Fortunately, Jigsaw and REUK have trained Youth Researchers in the ways we can both cope with such situations. For example, showing empathy is the main way to solve such issues. Our Youth Researcher paused the interview and spoke with the participant, recognising that the question was sensitive and reminding her that it was not mandatory to answer it. After a short conversation, the participant proposed that the interview should continue. Minimising the risk of harm to participants in this way has therefore remained a priority whenever it was required during this research study.

Research ethics also require the obtention of informed consent from research participants. This is a foundational principle of research ethics. It ensures that every participant understands that they are taking part in the research, and the implications of this participation. A researcher must explain to the participants the purpose of the research, what the research will involve, how the data will be used, and the way the research will likely have an impact. As Youth Researchers, we recognised the importance of this mandatory step. However, the challenge that we both faced during data collection was when some refugee participants only had a short time to participate in the survey or interviews, whether face-to-face or via phone calls. Due to these constraints, they sometimes wanted us to skip the informed consent stage. However, in the interest of upholding good practice in research ethics, we had to explain to them the importance of passing by this stage, so that they could understand everything about the research in which they were participating.

Finally, research ethics require that the anonymity and confidentiality of research participants is upheld. In the case of the Voices of Refugee Youth study, this has meant that Youth Researchers have had to ensure that the identity and contributions of the participants are kept confidential. The one way we have achieved this was to ensure that we meet participants in places that allowed them to speak freely. For instance, during previous rounds of data collection, we had to make sure that the refugee participants (who are students in secondary and higher education) were in a place where the school authorities could not influence their responses. However, it was not easy to ensure anonymity and confidentiality in some situations, due to COVID-19 measures. During this period, Youth Researchers were obliged to collect data remotely. It was therefore hard to know that the research participant was not with another friend that may influence his or her responses. For every situation, however, we did everything we could to ensure confidentiality and anonymity.

In short, during the Voice of Refugee Youth study, research ethics have been considered, and they have proved to be important. There have been situations in which it was hard to apply them, especially during the remote data collection. Nonetheless, as Youth Researchers, we have tried our best to handle these critical situations and uphold the safety of the research participants at all times.

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The practical experience of being a youth researcher

By Khalid Khan

Since September 2018, I have been working as a youth researcher with Jigsaw and REUK on the Voices of Refugee Youth research study, in partnership with UNHCR. This study aims to investigate post-primary education for refugee youth.

As youth researchers, we have a central role in the research study. We have received training in research methods, first conducted in-person at the UNHCR Compound in Peshawar, and then conducted online during the Covid-19 pandemic. Applying this training, we have then led data collection, conducting surveys and interviews with Afghan refugee students from different universities & schools within Pakistan (specifically in Peshawar, in the region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa). Up to this point, we have completed three data collection points and received the same number of training units (with one left to complete this year).

For me, being a youth researcher has been a brand new experience, unlike any other, and I have gained so much over the past three years. The training sessions, provided before data collection, were a new experience for me, as it was my first ever experience in the role of a youth researcher. I am in no doubt that I have learnt a lot about research; for example, I have come to know about the difference between qualitative and quantitative research, and have learnt about research ethics in detail. Also, in the role of a youth researcher I come to know that one has to be flexible for new experiences and challenges. Collecting data has provided some challenges: we have had to deal with people of different cultures, languages and religions. Therefore, I have learnt that while collecting data you need to be understandable and to be clear about the purpose of the research to the participants.

The experience has also taught me several things about the unique role of a youth researcher. Youth researchers should be authentic and realistic as they play the role as a liaison between refugees in their community and stakeholders from the rest of the world. This is because youth researchers record the voices of other young refugees and represent them to the rest of the world – they are therefore a bridge between the refugees and the rest of the research community. Hence, I believe that if one is in the role of a youth researcher, he or she should keep in mind that we are chosen to speak on the behalf of young refugees; now it’s our responsibility to represent their voices in an actual and genuine way to help refugee youth have access to the world to deliver their voices and messages. Being in this role has therefore furnished my communication and writing skills, including how to communicate formally with different people and then transcribe the conversation.

Finally, I believe that a youth researcher has a vital role in the research process, because the overall credibility of the report is dependent on the sources and quality of reporting by the youth researcher during data collection. This has shown me, as a youth researcher, the importance of being realistic, clear and to the point. Research can be valuable not only for the researchers but for other stakeholders (including students, teachers and organisations). Therefore, in my experience as a youth researcher, I have learned the value of good quality of data and the way in which youth researchers can hold a unique role in the research process.

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My story so far

By Gabriel Karerangabo

My name is Gabriel Karerangabo, a youth researcher for the Voices of Refugee Youth research study in Rwanda. My experiences speak as an example of the way in which education can support refugees to learn, lead and impact communities in a positive way for change. In 2016, I entered higher education, before joining the Voices of Refugee Youth study in 2019 as a youth researcher. This role has increased my desire to advocate for youth, train them and increase their opportunities to grow. This blog is a personal account of my experience in education and employment, and the ways in which the Voice of Refugee Youth project has impacted on this.

In 2016, I enrolled in the University of Tourism, Technology and Business studies for a course in Business Information Technology. As a refugee, the learning conditions were challenging because, although my sponsor paid for my tuition and accommodation fees, I had to support myself for other school and life requirements. Through this experience, I learned to identify a problem and tackle it in order to solve it. I wasn’t the only refugee at this institution; there were other refugees from different locations across Rwanda. I took on a leadership role amongst my peers, and I have sought to advise them to find solutions by themselves and not wait for other people or organisations to bring change for them. My speech for them, as well as myself, was always: you are the change you wish to become.

Despite facing challenges during my educational journey, I believe that education is nonetheless the way forward towards prosperity. In 2019, I graduated from this university and became a secondary school teacher in Rwanda. It was an excellent opportunity where I thought I found stability in life. However, the salary I was getting was not sufficient. I received 150 USD monthly, and while waiting for the salary for the next month, my bank was empty. In Rwanda, houses to rent are costly.

In 2019, I saw the recruitment call to be a youth researcher for the Voices of Refugee Youth research study, launched by Jigsaw and REUK. I was inspired and impressed by Jigsaw and REUK’s mission and vision for education in emergencies, enabling us to be a voice for refugee youth in Rwanda and Pakistan. I took it upon myself to apply to become a youth researcher. Fortunately, I was selected and received the job. Now I am able to be a voice for refugee youth as I wished. So far, I have received training along with the other youth researchers, gained research skills, experienced working in a team, and finally, I have increased my passion for research in refugee education. I have really enjoyed trying to advance my research skills while thinking about tackling the educational problems which refugees face worldwide. I believe that, through research, the key issues can be identified and lasting solutions can be found. As a result, I applied to study for a Master of Science degree, in order to become an African Researcher. I was selected and enrolled in the master’s degree in 2020; I have now completed it in 2022, and I am an African researcher in education-based on technology.

Meanwhile, because I am passionate about refugee youth education, I have applied to be a student at African Leadership University to study Education in the Global Challenges faculty; growing in leadership will also help me to achieve my objective. I will complete my studies in 2022.

Being a youth researcher also opened my mind and equipped me with the skills I needed to start ‘Save the Youth Vision Association’ which works with youth in Mahama refugee camp. The initiative aims to help young refugees in developing their innate talents and potential, so that they can participate in providing more opportunities for refugees in the future. Working with my team, we have assisted students who are completing secondary school and want to go to university, by providing guidance for their application. Some have been awarded scholarships, ready to start their university studies. Now I have hope for the future, because working as a youth researcher for the Voices of Refugee Youth research study has helped me to gain many skills and the confidence to stand firm to find solutions for global challenges for refugees.

In conclusion, working as a youth researcher has had many advantages and provided me with many skills. It has opened my mind to thinking outside the box about my future and enabled me to find solutions to the challenges I was facing. I acquired all of these skills during my experience as a youth researcher, in addition to the knowledge I gained from my university degrees. I have therefore developed research skills to advance my mission towards improving education opportunities for refugees. I have grown to love the research field, and now I am not only a youth researcher, but I am an African Researcher.

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Reflections on using a youth-centred methodology

By Katrina Barnes

Previous blog posts have discussed the value of using a youth-centred approach to research and how to use this approach effectively. In this blog post, we will build on these previous posts by reflecting on our experience of using the youth-centred approach. With the project now in its third year, we have learnt a lot about the successes and challenges that adopting a youth-centred approach can entail. We can also begin to use this experience to suggest ways of honing this way of working in future projects.

Successes

A key benefit of the youth-centred approach has been its facilitation of mutual learning experiences. The youth researchers at the centre of the initiative have had the opportunity to develop core research skills through an accredited course, which they report has increased their confidence and future employment prospects. In parallel, the Jigsaw and REUK researchers have gained valuable new insight into young refugees’ educational experiences, which has been significantly enhanced by the fact that the young people themselves are collecting the data and telling their communities’ stories first-hand.

Through the youth-centred approach, some youth researchers have not only become voices for their communities, but also advocates for their communities. We have recently heard how some youth researchers have been using what they have learned during Voices of Refugee Youth to make the case for improving education for refugees at university conferences and events. This makes us even more excited to see what they are able to do after the final unit of the training course (due to run this year), a part of which will guide youth researchers through how to use research to advocate for change.

We have also been struck by the capacity of the youth-centred approach to enrich sector knowledge. Youth researchers report that being young community members helps them to gain the trust of young research participants during data collection. When participants feel confident that they will be fully understood, they are more likely to answer questions truthfully and fully, leading to higher quality data.

In addition, an important aspect of our youth-centred approach has been to collaborate with youth researchers in the presentation of research findings. A team of Jigsaw, REUK, and youth researchers has recently submitted the initiative’s first academic journal article for publication. Adding youth researcher voices to academic journals will increase young refugee representation across an historically exclusive and inaccessible space, and simultaneously enrich that space with new perspectives.

Challenges

Despite its considerable potential, the youth researchers’ dual identity as both investigators and community members may introduce limitations to the youth-centred approach. These issues are sometimes hierarchical; youth researchers report that their perceived lower status due to their age has led to challenges to their authority during data collection, with some school principals insisting on youth researchers conducting interviews in their presence, therefore denying their participants confidentiality.

Other youth researchers have noted that they have had to remain extremely vigilant against data collection bias. While their deep contextual knowledge often helps them to connect with participants, there is also a risk that youth researchers will assume their participants’ meanings or inadvertently ask leading questions based on their own experience. This highlights the need for rigorous training to ensure that youth researchers are able to remain impartial during data collection.

Finally, while the youth-centred methodology enables youth researchers to have significantly more input into the initiative than enumerators in conventional research would, their lack of research knowledge and experience, especially at the beginning, has limited the extent to which they are able to take on decision-making roles within the research process. The Jigsaw and REUK team continues to consider this point carefully, particularly in light of different research deliverables that are due in the coming year. It is hoped that there will be greater scope for youth researchers to become involved in data analysis and presentation tasks, especially given that their skills and experience will have increased throughout the training process.

Final reflections

Occasional challenges aside, the youth-centred methodology has overall proven a highly successful and enriching approach. It has led to significant learning for all researchers involved, increased the quality of the data collected, and given youth researchers a springboard for creating meaningful, long-term impact within their communities. Our biggest lesson learnt so far is the paramount importance of quality training to ensure that youth researchers are properly prepared for their work. It is hoped that this solid foundation will also enable youth researchers to become increasingly active as decision-makers in the latter parts of the project, with a view to magnifying their voices further still.

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A personal account from data collection for Data Point 3

By Asma Rabi

On a scorching hot summer day, labour workers held bricks in their hands in a stiff and stinky atmosphere, under the burning sun, to construct a house in Peshawar. It was the month of July. The wind was silent and motionless. The trees and plants looked stationary beneath the sun. The birds were all gasping for breath. Under this blistering heat, several labourers were working hard.

Muneer (1) continued to work despite the unbearable heat, his face and body covered in sweat, along with other workers. Muneer is 19 years old. He is an Afghan refugee in Pakistan, and aspires to become a doctor as a way to change his future. He recently graduated from school, but despite these twelve years of education, he is working as a labourer in the hot month of July.

Muneer is one of the students participating in the Voices of Refugee Youth research study: a study tracking education transitions to build the evidence base for post-primary education for refugee youth in Pakistan and Rwanda. As an Afghan refugee studying in Pakistan, he is one of over 1000 students who have participated in the research study’s surveys and interviews at several points over the last two year, following his journey through education and employment.

During the third data point of the research study (DP3), I called Muneer twice. On the first occasion, he picked up his phone and said that he is working and cannot speak to me right now. I called him again the next day at the same time: his response was the same. This time I managed to ask him where he was working; he named a place near where I live, and I decided to meet him in person to complete the survey.

When we met, Muneer spoke about his aims and ambitions of becoming a doctor. However, because he is an undocumented refugee in Pakistan, he is unable to get a scholarship to go to university.

There are many more children like Muneer who want to change their future. Instead of being labour workers and holding bricks, they want to hold books and pens. Unfortunately, their future employment aspirations and dreams are being crushed by the cruel hands of destiny. According to the latest statistics by UNHCR, the number of refugees across the world has increased over the last decade. In 2010, it was estimated that 41 million people were forcibly displaced, while the figures rose to 82 million by 2020 (UNHCR Flagship report, 2022).

Pakistan hosts a massive population of refugees, on top of the other challenges it faces. There are 1.4 million registered Afghan refugees living in Pakistan (IOM Migration Data Portal, 2021) and, as of 2017 estimations, a further 600,000 to one million undocumented Afghan refugees (UNHCR, 2017). This makes Pakistan host to one of the world’s largest refugee populations. However, there is an urgent need to systematically address the unregistered refugee population in Pakistan. Hundreds of Afghan refugee youth are unregistered and undocumented, which therefore means that they cannot continue on to university. This issue is holding hundreds of youth from continuing their education in their host communities.

“I have a dream of becoming a doctor and treat[ing] people; I wish to hold a stethoscope instead of these bricks.” Despite all these challenges, Muneer is still hopeful. He is not alone among the hundreds of refugees striving for their future and seeking to continue their education. However, documentation remains a key barrier to achieving this dream.

(1) The name has been changed to preserve the anonymity of this refugee.

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My experience of doing research methods training virtually

By Javan Mugenzi

During the COVID-19 outbreak in Rwanda, I had the opportunity to continue learning about research methods for social science, as part of my ongoing engagement in the Voices of Refugee Youth initiative. It was a great experience, despite the challenges of virtual lecturing for Unit 2 and Unit 3 of the training course. COVID-19 has made learning difficult in Rwanda, particularly for students in secondary schools, universities, and primary schools. Several lockdowns and COVID-19 restrictions made it impossible to gather as a group, as we did for Unit 1 before the outbreak in Rwanda. As a result, this blog will focus on my experiences as a refugee, living in a refugee camp in Rwanda, while virtually undertaking the research methods training course offered by Jigsaw and REUK.

We transitioned to doing the research methods training course virtually during the pandemic, starting with Unit 2 of the course from April 26th to May 11th, 2021. In Rwanda, this was a time of significant COVID-19 measures. Physical lecturing was not an option at the time because schools, particularly Rwandan universities, had adopted online course delivery methods. The only choice was to continue the course over the internet, because that was the only way to finish Unit 2 and start collecting data for the second data point of the Voices of Refugee Youth research study. But it was a tough educational experience. It was my first time taking a rigorous virtual class for a course that required a high level of concentration and a conducive learning atmosphere.

The main challenge of virtual learning was that I was in the refugee camp all day while taking the research methods course. It was difficult to go online because my laptop’s battery could only last for about an hour, and it was difficult to connect to an electricity supply. However, I could occasionally use the tablet (provided by Jigsaw and REUK for the research study) in order to stay connected after my laptop’s battery died.

The learning mode (using a variety of online platforms) for the research methods training course was a new learning experience. It was my first time using Canvas, which was really new for me. However, I learnt how to use it, and was able to apply it later in the course. The skills I learnt in Unit 2 paved the way for Unit 3, because when I started lectures for Unit 3, I had an idea of what I was going to have to do online. Using Google Drive was troublesome for me as well; whenever I was required to complete an assignment, it had to be shared with all the course facilitators in order for them to mark it. However, the facilitators’ guidance during the virtual sessions gave me the courage to participate in each step, because every facilitator was committed to helping me if I became confused or needed assistance.

Throughout the virtual training for the research methods course, I’ve learned a lot. There are a few things that I believe are essential for anyone who is undergoing virtual learning for any subject. Firstly, a person must be open and honest about what he or she knows or does not know. It is difficult to assess a person’s knowledge and skills through virtual learning, and therefore, because a facilitator does not have access to everyone in person, a student must be sincere about what s/he understands. This can help a facilitator to return to a specific topic to ensure that their teaching on a particular subject is well captured.

I also advise anyone to prepare well and take the learning process seriously, so that his or her mind is prepared to engage with each topic. As a result, the student will achieve a good outcome and a clear understanding throughout the virtual learning process. It is important to be honest with oneself and with a facilitator in order to complete virtual training to a high level of knowledge and skill. Discipline combined with determination can lead anyone to achieve their goals, regardless of the obstacles they face along the way.

To summarise, in the virtual training for the research methods course, I faced numerous problems, including a lack of familiarity with the platform, a challenging learning environment, and the need to develop certain online skills, particularly with Google Sheets. Persevering through all of this, however, resulted in excellent learning and the ability to use Google Drive with either documents or spreadsheets. These are excellent new skills, in addition to the knowledge I gained from Jigsaw and REUK’s virtual research methods training. Above all, virtual learning ought to be taken seriously; otherwise, a learner may risk not being able to benefit from the training.

It was a huge accomplishment to complete the virtual training for Units 2 and 3 of the research methods course. Overall, it was a delight to have such an experience because it helped me to mould my thinking and better grasp research methods and remote learning systems.

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Reflections on the impact of Covid-19 for refugees and education

By Umer Farooq

This blog is on the topic of education and the refugee community, especially those Afghan refugees living in Pakistan who have been affected by Covid-19. During the pandemic, the whole world economy has suffered a lot and the education sector, in particular, has been hit hard. The lives and education of the refugees that have been affected by the pandemic in Pakistan are explored below, drawing on my own experience.

Covid-19 was clearly a big issue for all countries, but was especially hard for those countries that do not have the necessary resources and proper hospital facilities. The government of Pakistan took many steps to control the pandemic, like a ‘smart lockdown’ in some areas and ‘complete lockdown’ in others. Educational and religious institutions were also shut down and the government later made various rules to control the virus. The main challenge facing the policymakers of under-developed countries was how to implement an online education system, because such a pandemic had never happened before and education systems were not prepared. A second challenge was that people who got sick from Covid-19 rarely went to the hospital, thinking it was a minor illness and they could cure it themselves. As a result, the disease spread further due to a lack of awareness among the people. More education was needed to prevent this from happening.

The past two years have been an especially difficult time for the refugee community which has been living in camps in Pakistan for almost forty years. Most of them work as laborers, earning for their children daily to support their children’s stomachs and their education expenses. For those who are educated in the refugee community, there are few formal employment opportunities in Pakistan because this is a poor country where it is very difficult to seek employment.

When Covid-19 started, there were restrictions on movement and leaving the house here. Due to this, educational activities and employment stopped and people became unemployed. In the case of refugee laborers, their employment completely stopped and their livelihood became very difficult. Those in formal employment did not suffer so much, but the process of cutting the salaries of private-sector employees started and a lot of people lost their jobs because the private institutions couldn’t afford their jobs further.

At that time when Covid-19 started, I was working in a private college as a lecturer. Colleges and schools closed, so we also sat at home. Then our college owner told us that the college could not give us a salary. So we started living on the savings we had accumulated.

The quality of education also deteriorated due to Covid-19 and the majority of primary and secondary education was affected. Universities responded to the pandemic by starting online education, but only those university students who live in cities benefited from this because the internet system works there. Rural students, however, were deprived of getting this education because in most of the villages of Pakistan the internet system is not functional.

This blog therefore summarises how Covid-19 has been affecting the lives of refugees and their education in Pakistan. The refugee community has provided help to those very poor members of their community and UNHCR has also given 12,000 rupees of emergency cash assistance to the poorest families.(1) However, due to the economic pressures of the pandemic, many refugees face the risk of never returning to school, undoing years of progress made in education for refugees, in Pakistan and around the world.

(1) UNHCR, 2020. https://www.unhcr.org/pk/6522-most-vulnerable-refugee-families-to-receive-rs-12000-emergency-cash-assistance.html.

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