The UN Refugee Agency, and World Together (WT) have signed a partnership agreement in a bid to provide fully funded Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) scholarships to urban refugees in Ethiopia.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the UN Refugee Agency said the agreement marks a significant milestone in advancing refugee self-reliance through quality vocational education.
The initiative helps young urban refugees enroll in two-year programs in Electronics and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) at the LG-KOICA Hope TVET College.
It also supports the country’s pledge to integrate refugees into national education and training systems, address critical gaps in technical skills and sustainable employment pipelines.
“Under this partnership, UNHCR and World Together will collaborate to explore and develop pathways to enroll urban refugees in fully funded technical and vocational training programs in Electronics and Information and Communications Technology (ICT),” the statement said.
Ethiopia hosts over one million refugees and asylum seekers, including over 70,000 urban refugees residing in Addis Ababa. In line with the government of Ethiopia’s Makatet Roadmap to include refugees into national systems, this collaboration addresses a vital gap in technical training and sustainable livelihoods.
“Extending our fully funded vocational programs to refugees is a natural next step in our mission. By combining rigorous TVET training with private-sector internship pathways, we are providing young refugees with the practical skills and confidence needed to build self-reliant, productive futures,” said Kim Yong-woo, the President of World Together.
Aissatou M. Ndiaye, UNHCR Representative in Ethiopia, said the partnership aligns with UNHCR’s global ’50by35′ vision—aiming to reduce dependency on humanitarian assistance of refugees by 50 percent by 2035.
“Vocational training remains a critically important yet often under-invested area for empowering young people,” Ndiaye added.
MG/as/APA