Non-formal education serving displaced children
Non-formal education as a protective space and a lever for reconstruction for displaced children thanks to UNICEF and Education Cannot Wait.
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Crouched on an unfinished slab, his hands covered in cement, Kevin carefully adjusts a tile. For more than an hour, he has repeated the gesture with patience. Nothing is urgent around him as He was not simply learning a trade but he was getting back on his feet.
At 16, he fled Port-au-Prince with his mother and sister. Their once lively neighborhood had been taken over by armed groups. The morning they left, they ran out of their house carrying little more than a single bag. Since then, they’ve been living in Les Cayes, far from the capital. For Kevin, everything felt lost: his school, his friends, and his dream of becoming an engineer.
That’s when he discovered the non-formal education sessions run by UNICEF with its partner APADEH with funding from Education Cannot Wait (ECW). At the centre, displaced youth like him take courses in tiling, screen printing, and modern cosmetology. The goal of these sessions is to offer a real alternative to children forced to drop out of the formal school system because of armed violence and displacement.
Rebuilding the future through education
“I fled Port-au-Prince with nothing but my courage. Here, I’m learning tiling, a trade I’ve loved for a long time. It’s not just about placing tiles but about rebuilding my life,” Kevin says.
For Domingue, the trainer, every student carries the promise of a better future. He teaches with rigor and humanity, knowing that behind every skill learned lies a story of loss, and pain.
“Even if we can’t change the past, I know that here we are building a future even in the middle of chaos,” he says.
Just a few steps from the workshop, in a bright classroom, young girls are practicing hairstyling, braiding, and makeup. This is the space dedicated to modern cosmetology. Among them is 16-year-old Miselene, one of the most dedicated. She knew nothing about hairdressing before joining the sessions but today, she has found a new path and a new sense of pride.
“When the road to school closed, I opened the door to a trade. Now I dream of owning my own salon and training other girls,” says Miselene.
Learning to rise again
The sessions last a little over three months and at the end, each participant receives a certificate from the National Institute for Vocational Training. For displaced youth, this document is a key for opening the door to a job or to starting a business. But beyond the certificate, the most powerful change is the personal transformation.
“Today I can create, dream, and exist. I feel like more than just a student and I am no longer lost; I’ve become a professional,” says Awinsize, a 15-year-old taking part in the screen-printing sessions.
Rebuilding the future
Hundreds of young people, whether originally from Les Cayes or displaced from Port-au-Prince by violence, are now part of this initative the South of Haiti. Despite security and logistical challenges, UNICEF and its partners continue to expand these trainings into relatively stable areas.
These courses do not replace school. But in a country where more than 1,600 schools are closed, they provide a vital lifeline. With support from Education Cannot Wait, UNICEF is helping young people regain confidence and hope for the future.
