Education and Empowerment for Refugee Girls

Rebecca Kibasumba was just eight years old when her family fled the war in Congo, carrying nothing but hope for a safer future in Kenya. Eleven years later, at 19, she's proving that your starting point doesn'tdetermine your destination—she's now the highest earner in her digital skills class of 30 students. 

Like many refugee families, Rebecca's early years in Kenya were about survival and starting over. But her determination never wavered. After finishing high school, she saw opportunity in the growing digital economy and launched a small social media management business. The passion was there, but the technical skills weren't. 

"I knew I wanted to work in digital marketing, but I was struggling without the right knowledge," Rebecca explains. "I needed to learn how to really compete in this field." 

The RefuSHE6-month digital skills training program became her game-changer. Over six months, Rebecca transformed from someone with basic computer skills into a confident digital professional. She mastered advanced marketing strategies, learned to navigate freelancing platforms like Upwork and Fiverr, and developed sophisticated graphic design skills using Photoshop and Illustrator. 

The results speak for themselves. In just two months after completing the program, Rebecca has earned over 99,000 Kenyan shillings (about $740) through various online platforms including Timebucks, Paidwork, Freecash, and direct client work. She's now the top earner in her class. 

Her small social media business has been completely transformed. What once operated without much structure now runs like a small professional agency. Rebecca confidently takes on graphic design projects, creating logos, posters, business cards, and marketing materials for clients. Most importantly, she now knows how to promote her own business effectively across social media platforms. 

Rebecca's success has deepened her belief in the power of digital skills for refugee girls. "Digital skills training is essential for us because it lets us create our own opportunities instead of waiting for someone to hire us," she says. "This is especially important for refugees who might face barriers in traditional jobs." 

Rebecca credits the Czech support for making this transformation possible, not just for her, but for refugee girls across the program. 

"They didn't just give us skills," she reflects. "They gave us the tools to build our own futures." 

Today, Rebecca isn't just earning money—she's building a sustainable business and showing other young refugee women that their circumstances don't have to define their potential.