LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Leadership development is a key part of what we do to provide skills that will help sustain refugees in their future endeavors. We aspire to give refugees skills that will help them not only sustain themselves and their families, but also help them impact their local communities by becoming world changers, regardless of if they remain in Uganda, return to their country of origin, or relocate elsewhere.
EDUCATION & OUTREACH
Life as a teenager is hard enough, but life as a refugee teen comes with its own unique and complex challenges. Many refugee youth have missed years of school. Most are trying to integrate into new communities while learning a new language, recovering from jarring emotional and sometimes physical wounds, and encountering a new culture for the first time. Some are extremely vulnerable and still living in unsafe and dangerous conditions.
Through our Youth Leadership and Personal Development Programs, Refuge and Hope provides refugee youth with a safe environment where they are able to heal, make friends, have fun, learn new skills, and gain the confidence and knowledge needed to become the next generation of world changers in their communities.
SMART PROGRAM
To prepare our youth for a lifetime of success and service, our Spiritual Training for Youth in Leadership and Excellence (SMART) program combines: 1) Biblical teachings, 2) personal development, and 3) leadership training.
These three components are interwoven into all aspects of the program, including physical fitness, social and emotional development, and critical thinking components.
Five afternoons a week, our youth are guided by specially trained mentors who provide experiential learning, leadership and personal growth, and development opportunities. Our mentors also provide participants with ongoing personal support and counseling.
Through public speaking opportunities, talent shows, sporting competitions, involvement in the UN Innovation Youth Hangout, and other leadership and personal development activities, our students’ talents are nurtured and confidence is built, one strategic step at a time.
Additionally, our students participate in service projects as a way of cultivating a culture of servant-leadership. These projects also help them understand they can help others even though they may have experienced loss and trauma themselves.