A schoolgirl's dreams in the Sahrawi refugee camps
At just 10, Er-Rafiaa knows what she wants to do to help her community
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“I want to become a surgeon and help my community, I want to make them happy, but I also want to become a drawer”, explains Er-Rafiaa El Taleb, as she gets her hair done by her older sister, a nurse, after a day at the Smara camp elementary school which was rehabilitated by UNICEF and partners thanks to the generous contribution of the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Operations (ECHO)
Reflecting on her school day, she adds with enthusiasm:“Today I wrote an essay at school, the teacher asked us to imagine our future and I've never been so inspired!” she says.
In 2021, the Education Coordination Group, led by UNICEF and co-led by UNHCR, adopted a five-year education strategy, following extensive consultations with Sahrawi education authorities at all levels. This strategy has since guided interventions in the education sector with an emphasis on strengthening access and quality of education. Strategic partnerships with donors such as the one with the European Commission for Humanitarian Aid & Civil Protection (ECHO) have contributed to increased funding for incentive payments by 40 per cent for teachers and other education personnel. This top-up incentive programme has improved teacher retention and attracted candidates with better qualifications for vacant teaching positions than before. Donors' generous contributions to UNICEF also enhance the quality of the learning environment of children like Er-Rafiaa through rehabilitation of schools and the distribution of basic learning materials.
My friends and I are so much happier in this new school. We don't have to get up very early to walk by ourselves, the classrooms are better organized and even the blackboard is better. I really feel better here.
