©UNHCR/Samuel Otieno

Given the ongoing global pandemic, young people around the world are having to adjust to the new normal of digital and distance learning, but for refugee youths, obtaining necessary tools to study with is harder than it is for others.

In order to provide affected refugee youths with better learning experiences, Samsung Electronics has donated 1,000 Galaxy Tab devices to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, which will be delivered to 15 locations including schools and community centers in Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps in Kenya.

Providing Quality Education for All

The refugee camps in Kakuma and Dadaab are two of the oldest ones in the world and, as of January this year, host approximately 380,000 refugees. It is estimated that 40%, or around 160,000, of those living in the camps are school-aged children.

However, even though the schools in these refugee camps reopened in January this year after nine months of lockdown due to COVID-19, it remains difficult for refugee students to have access to stationery, textbooks and other necessities for learning – an issue that prevails even after the reopening of schools.

Thanks to the donated Galaxy Tabs, the tablet distribution rate per refugee student will be improved in these camps, and refugee students will be able to utilize the devices to participate in the school classes and tune into extensive digital learning materials.

UNHCR plans to utilize these Galaxy Tabs in its Instant Network Schools program, an initiative to provide digital learning supports to young refugees.

“The contribution from Samsung is a good practice of how a global company can help the most vulnerable people access to education with its technology. UNHCR Korea looks forward to developing partnership with Samsung Electronics now onwards,” noted James Lynch, Representative of UNHCR Korea.

Together for Tomorrow: Enabling People

©UNHCR/Samuel Otieno

“It is important for us to be supporting the youth in refugee camps, who are considered as one of the most vulnerable groups to be hit hard by COVID-19, so that they could continue with their studies,” noted Won Kyong Kim, Executive Vice President and head of Samsung’s Corporate Sustainability Center. “Ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all young people is essential for a sustainable future for all.”

With its vision of ‘Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People’, Samsung has been and will continue to operate social contribution activities focusing on youth education and growth for their sustainable development, including Samsung Junior SW Academy, Samsung SW Academy for Youth, Samsung DreamClass, Samsung Smart School, and more.

Local personnel will be hired to help distribute bioethanol stoves in Kenya

Samsung Electronics, in partnership with Rural Development Solutions, will deliver 10,000 bioethanol stoves to households in the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya.

• Bioethanol stoves help replace charcoal fuel to address climate change and local health issues while providing residents with economic sustainability
• This effort adds to the 10,000 stoves already distributed in Mombasa, Kenya’s second largest city

Providing Residents with Cleaner, Safer, More Sustainable Way to Cook

• The majority of households in Kenya currently use charcoal as fuel to cook
• When burned, charcoal produces toxic fumes and leads to serious air pollution
• Broad use of charcoal leads to excessive harvesting of trees, accelerating deforestation
• Bioethanol is a byproduct of sugar production which makes it a cheaper, more sustainable source of fuel
• Use of more bioethanol, which is six times more energy efficient than charcoal, will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Quotes:

• Haengil Kim, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Environment, Health and Safety Center, Samsung Electronics: “We hope this project helps refugees in Kenya in a meaningful way. Samsung Electronics will continue to carry out its responsibility as a corporate citizen with more such initiatives.”
• Burton Wagacha, Senior Public Health Officer and Technical Coordinator, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): “These cook stoves will help improve the quality of living for many refugees. We look forward to continue partnering with Samsung Electronics in more initiatives.”

Eco-friendly cook stoves will help address climate change and improve the health and safety of the residents while providing them with economic sustainability.

Bioethanol sells for 100 Kenyan Shillings, or about one U.S. Dollar, per liter. A one-liter bottle would last five to six days for the average household.

Charcoal costs about 20 Kenyan Shillings, roughly 0.20 U.S. Dollars, per kilogram. Kenyan households use about 2 kilograms a day

Charcoal, the most popular fuel for stoves in Kenya, is a key factor that contributes to air pollution

Patricia Kingori, Senior Manager, Samsung Electronics (right), and Charles Sunkuli, Principal Secretary, Kenya Ministry of Enviroment, demonstrate how to use bioethanol stoves to organizations partnering in the bioethanol stove initiative in Kenya