Think of something you care deeply about; pause and really think about it. Now, imagine losing that very thing, and along with it, a piece of yourself. This pain is so raw that it’s hard to imagine, but no matter what you pictured losing, I venture to say you would want to do everything you could to get it back—to change your reality. This kind of thinking can be applied to the lives of many, especially the lives of refugees who lose their home and often, their way to education. Empathizing with their pain you might ask, what is being done for these people who’ve lost so much? The aid they are receiving in the form of food, water, and medicine is life-saving work at its core, but what does it do to allow them to change their future? To let them recover some part of what they’ve lost? This is where we need to turn towards education to equip people with the tools they need in order to grow, to find pieces of themselves, and to affect the world around them. Because, as Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
Weapons typically have a negative connotation, especially picturing sending traditional weapons into a country consumed by war. It’s like spreading gas on the fire. Rather, sending weapons of the mind and of change can extinguish the flames. However, it is difficult for people to understand this importance when they are engulfed in it and vying for survival. This stems from human psychology and according to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, people’s physiological needs are at the core of humanity along with other basic needs such as food and water. The bottom tiers are important and research has suggested “the more these basic needs were not satisfied, the more psychologically disturbed the individual would be” (Lester, David, et al.). So, where in this scheme of importance does education fit in?
A better question would be: where doesn’t it fit? Education encompasses a lot of what people need so it’s difficult to pinpoint its importance and to find how many ways that it affects people. This claim is reinforced with voices of refugees in India from Sri Lanka, such as Antony Jeevarathnam Mayuran who has seen first-hand the significance of education. Mayuran writes their outspoken view on education is that “…education is paramount. They see education as fundamental to the efforts to rehabilitate and empower the refugee community, and believe that an educated community will be better prepared to rebuild a peaceful and prosperous society…”
This attitude is also clear when talking to Professor Barb Witteman of Concordia College. Her experiences in the department of education have shown her the impact that education can have on people. She speaks highly of its abilities saying, “Education is the only means of changing our world and it can begin with one person. It is through education that one can learn to grow food, do service, and help others. One cannot eat or drink books but through education you can grow food, make water drinkable, and end conflict…” (Witteman). Her insight reinforces the idea that education is at the root of human need. This realization expands on the idea that education can provide so much of what is needed and prepare for a better tomorrow.
It’s easy to look at statistics, testimony, and information to identify the benefits of education. But, how do we approach such a widespread issue and make an impact? The task seems daunting and this is where many people can falter in their hope for education. And, that feeling of doubt is understandable considering some grim statistics. The fact that 91% of students around the world attend primary school while only 5% of refugee children attend primary school is shocking (“Moving Ahead”). Or, even worse, “among the 2.5 million refugee adolescents of secondary age, nearly 2 million do not have the chance to attend secondary school (“Moving Ahead”). This news is disheartening, but I challenge you not to stop your research there.
The key is to continue looking because often hidden due to the copious amount of negative news surrounding war, conditions, and other crisis of refugee camps are organizations at work for education. These groups are working their hardest to prove their cause is one to have hope in. One organization in India has joined the fight for education. The charge has been led by the Organization for Eelam Refugees Rehabilitation, OfERR, which is comprised of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees (Mayuran). Their mission was to allow refugee students to obtain their education even though they may have lost their documentation for schooling while fleeing to safety (Mayuran). This group “lobbied the central and state governments of India” and was granted their wish of education. Other groups, such as The UN Refugee Agency and their partnership with Education Cannot Wait are working towards large goals. The aim of this co-op is to “reach all crisis-affected children and youth with safe, free quality education by 2030” (“Education in emergencies”). With people working towards such transforming goals, it is difficult not to “catch” the hope they have for the future of education.
The admirable work for education can also be seen on a more local scale. Nestled into classroom C11 at Fargo South High School is someone who can attest to the value of education for resettling refugees: Ms. Juelke. She works with New Americans and helps them develop a variety of skills necessary to thrive in our culture including the English language. Her job of helping students recognize their full potential and watching education open doors for them is incredible. This revelation for students often involves making connections. Doing so allows them to cultivate a sense of confidence, express themselves, and in some cases, bring closure to their experiences in a whole new way (Juelke). Self-expression can create opportunities and provide a platform of growth that extends from the classroom into their lives. According to the UN Refugee Agency, “Schools give children the stability and structure to help cope with the trauma they have experienced” (“Education in emergencies”).
Ms. Juelke’s classroom radiates warmth and safety welcoming her students into a place where they can open up. And, two students, sisters from Congo, were compelled to do just that. Esperance Mfurakzi and her sister shared their horrific past experiences through writing with Ms. Juelke. They explained the horrors of watching their father be burned alive, their cousins killed, and they too almost being executed in a writing project that was later published called “Green Card Youth.” Long suppressed memories and emotions flowed into their notebooks and education was the tool that allowed them to do so. This outlet led to two incredible young girls being able to formulate their thoughts and find relief (Juelke). They were able to work through their experiences like never before. But, Esperance didn’t stop at that, she also has dreams of giving back. When thinking of her goals, she wrote, “I also hope to travel back to Africa as a doctor and be able to give them the care they deserve” (Mfurakazi). Inspired by a system of education that nurtured her, gave her an outlet, and accepted her, she wants her story to be one focused on the future and giving back.
Everybody has their own story, and it’s clear to see that education gives people the tools they need to be able to work through that story. Everyone—the Sri Lankan refugees, Ms. Juelke’s students, those with the privilege of lacking educational obstacles—deserves this opportunity of self-discovery and in some cases self-recovery. There are organizations and individuals who advocate for this ability, but there is more to be done. This can come in the form of giving money, sharing success stories, gathering organizations, and teaching people about how education is the most powerful weapon. Together we can show that education is a uniquely crucial type of aid that provides people with a system where they can overcome their circumstances and cultivate change within themselves to share with others. This gives people a ladder out of their hole and the ability to give it to someone else. And, that is a beautiful thing for everyone to invest their hope into.
Works Cited
“Education in emergencies.” unicef.org, 12 June 2017, www.unicef.org. Accessed 20 Sept. 2017.
Juelke, Leah. Personal interview. 22 Sept. 2017.
Lester, David, et al. “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Psychological Health.” Journal of General Psychology, vol 109, no. 1, July 1983. EBSCOhost, Accessed 20 Sept. 2017.
Mayuran, Antony Jeevarathnam. “The power of education in refugees’ lives: Sri Lankan refugees in India.” Forced Migration Review. no. 55, June 2017. EBSCOhost. Accessed 20 Sept. 2017
Mfurakazi, Esperance. “Esperance Mfurakazi.” GREEN CARD YOUTH VOICES: Immigration Stories From a Fargo High School. Minneapolis: Wise Ink Creative Publishing, 2017. 83-86. Print. Accessed 1 Oct. 2017.
“Moving Ahead.” The UN Refugee Agency. 2017. unhcr.org. Accessed 20 Sept. 2017.
Witteman, Barb. E-mail interview. 14 Sept. 2017.
Works Consulted
Bandow, Doug. “Life in A Refugee Camp: What Happens To Those Who Flee Syria’s Civil War.” Forbes. 4 Jan. 2016. forbes.com. Accessed 20 Sept. 2017
Amar, Abu. “Our life in the Zaatari refugee camp: no electricity, no space to sleep, no escape” the guardian. 14 Sept. 2015. theguardian.com. Accessed 20 Sept. 2017.