John Leleruk's education began under a tree in Kenya's Samburu region, where floods would wash away makeshift outdoor classrooms and study materials every year.
What remained untouched was Leleruk and scores of other displaced children's determination to stay the course.
"We had one textbook for ten students," the 24-year-old tells TRT Afrika. "Education was everything. It was the one thing no one could take from me. It gave me a purpose beyond being a displaced person."
Leleruk is continuing the journey that began in Samburu nearly two decades ago, this time as a teaching assistant at the Kakuma refugee camp. "Now, I get to give the purpose I found to others," he says.
His story mirrors that of hundreds of thousands of young people in Africa and beyond defying the odds to get an education even as conflicts trigger large-scale displacement.
Latest data shows that refugee enrolment in tertiary education worldwide jumped from 7% in 2024 to 9% in the span of a year, putting the ambitious 2030 target of 15% within striking distance.
This growth, cited by the global refugee agency UNHCR in its 10th annual Refugee Education Report, represents both the possibilities and persistent challenges of the mission to ease access to learning.
Building momentum
The UNHCR report documents encouraging progress. More girls are enrolling in primary education, and the gender gap at the secondary level continues narrowing, thanks to modest but meaningful shifts within communities where traditional barriers often work against female participation.
"There have been tremendous efforts to increase enrolment at all levels for refugees," says Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, in the report's foreword.
Amid these small victories, there are sobering realities. The global refugee population keeps expanding, leaving an estimated 5.7 million refugee children outside classrooms entirely.
Experts say the primary challenge is scaling resources to match growing need, and determining whether success stories like Leleruk's are routine or exceptions.
Existing barriers
Displaced people who wish to continue their education face significant obstacles, evidenced by case studies in the UNHCR report.
Sometimes, legal requirements block access to formal education systems. In many cases, language becomes a barrier. Previous qualifications often go unrecognised, forcing students to restart their academic journeys regardless of the levels they were at.
But for all the challenges that crop up, counsellors and therapists believe the battle is there to be won.
Dr Sarah Kanza, a clinical psychologist who works with refugee children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), views education as a form of healing.
"For a child who has experienced trauma, school is a sanctuary," Dr Kanza tells TRT Afrika. "It provides routine, safety and a sense of normalcy. It is a protective space where they can begin to process their experiences."
Regaining self-esteem
Children who have lost their homes, communities and, in many cases, their family members, find the stability they seek within the classroom.
Predictable patterns – lessons, breaks and interactions with peers – are known to create anchors in otherwise disrupted lives.
"When we support refugee education, we are not just building students; we are rebuilding a sense of self and stability," explains Dr Kanza. "I have seen children flourish when they are given this consistent, supportive environment. It is their foundation for everything."
Those who interact with refugee children regularly acknowledge that they need more than academic knowledge. They require spaces where identity and purpose can begin reforming after displacement has stripped away defining elements of their previous lives.
The progression from emergency schooling to university access seems improbable, yet the latest figures suggest it is becoming achievable.
Experts say each percentage point of growth represents thousands of young people trying to transform not just their lives, but also the trajectory of the campaign to give refugee communities worldwide the hope they need.
