Digital Learning Brings New Opportunities: Irakoze’s Path to Empowering Future Generations

Irakoze, a 24-year-old refugee from Burundi residing in the Nduta refugee camp in Kibondo, Kigoma, saw his dreams of getting an education vanish when he fled his homeland in 2015 at the age of 17 due to war and political unrest. "I felt like this was the end of my education," Irakoze recalls. Since childhood, his dream was to become a journalist or presenter. However, after fleeing, he believed his dream would not come true as he could no longer continue the education he had been receiving in Burundi.

Irakoze and his family—his mother, father, sister, and two younger siblings, lost hope of continuing their education and achieving their dreams. A glimmer of hope returned upon arriving at the Nduta camp and discovering schools run by Save the Children, which provide education services to refugee children. "I didn't expect to find a school here. I believed that being a refugee meant losing the right to education, but thanks to Save the Children, I continued my studies with our Burundi curriculum."

Upon arrival, Irakoze resumed his schooling, completing his secondary education and receiving additional training in teaching skills and the use of digital tools in education. After completing this training, Irakoze became a teacher, instructing other children in various subjects, including self-protection against violence and curriculum subjects through digital means in the camp's schools. "I enjoy seeing other children receive the education I received, especially through digital means, and the children prefer learning this way because it offers a broader and easier way to learn," he says.

Although Irakoze's dream of becoming a journalist has not changed, he has discovered a passion for teaching after acquiring teaching skills. Thanks to the education he received, Irakoze has been awarded a scholarship to study medicine in Kenya. He says that after obtaining this education and returning to his country, he will pursue his dream job. For now, he enjoys teaching and helping other children learn.

Aneth*, one of Irakoze's students in the camp, says that before the introduction of digital learning, she was not very interested in learning compared to now. "I like how teacher Irakoze shows us how to use these digital tools, and for me, I really enjoy learning now," Aneth* says.

Save the Children, in collaboration with ProFuturo, is implementing a project to improve life chances and strengthen the resilience of vulnerable refugee children through innovative digital education solutions in two refugee camps, Nduta and Nyarugusu, in the Kigoma region of Western Tanzania. This project is a continuation of interventions implemented over the past three years, focusing on training teachers, strengthening community structures like Parents Teachers Associations (PTAs), adapting digital learning in classroom settings, and establishing and supporting 12 digital education school clubs.

Since May 2015, Save the Children has been implementing an integrated child protection and education program in refugee camps in Tanzania to respond to the learning needs of Burundian and the Congolese refugee children. Save the Children has established two digital libraries (Ideas box center) one per each camp, one adolescent center in Nyarugusu, eleven integrated Child Friendly Spaces (CFSs) and Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) centers, six in Nyarugusu camp and five in Nduta camp along with eight formal and alternative education program schools, two in Nyarugusu and six in Nduta.