Announcement
In Kakuma Refugee Camp, where thousands of individuals displaced by conflict struggle to rebuild their lives, education remains a fundamental challenge. Overcrowded classrooms, limited resources, and insufficient teacher preparation make effective learning difficult. However, initiatives like TeachWell are beginning to address this gap, demonstrating the essential role of teacher training in improving educational outcomes in refugee communities.
Maria Nyamal, a 24-year-old teacher at Gambella Primary School in Kakuma, serves as an example of how targeted training can empower teachers to overcome these challenges.
Portrait of Maria Nyamal. Photo by Marion Chepngetich/IRC
Originally, Maria had no interest in education. She moved to Kakuma refugee camp from South Sudan in 2013 and had little thought of becoming a teacher. However, when she saw fellow South Sudanese refugees struggling to learn Swahili—an essential language for both academic success and social integration—something shifted. She realized she could make a difference by helping others overcome this barrier.
As a member of Kakuma’s South Sudanese community, she believed that teaching Swahili herself would help her students overcome their doubts, making it easier for them to connect with the language and build confidence in their ability to learn it.
“If they see a [South Sudanese] refugee teaching [Swahili], they will believe it’s not hard. They, too, can do it” explained Maria.
Motivated by her desire to help her community, Maria applied to be a teacher with the Lutheran World Foundation and was, to her delight, offered a one-year contract.
When Maria first began teaching, she had no formal training in education. Like many refugee teachers, she was assigned to a classroom and given only a brief teacher-to-teacher orientation, which primarily consisted of a classroom observation period.
Later, Maria became part of the pilot class of TeachWell’s Teacher Continuous Capacity Development (TCCD) training program, which, in its pilot phase, provided training to 44 refugee teachers selected from various schools in the area.
Under TeachWell, Maria received a four-day training led by Gladys Sadera’s team of three trainers. Gladys, a teacher trainer with Lutheran World Federation (LWF) since March 2024, has been a key contributor to the success of TCCD.
Portrait of Gladys. Photo by Marion Chepngetich/IRC
With extensive experience in both education and publishing, Gladys emphasizes the importance of moving away from outdated, passive teaching methods and engaging students directly in their learning process.
The four-day training proved instrumental in helping Maria foster a more dynamic and effective learning environment. The training was followed by a number of lesson observation periods, one-on-one coaching by the headmaster, and a series of teacher learning circles where discussions focused on how to apply learned skills from the TCCD.
“Before, as a teacher, you did most of the work. We never knew that the learners could participate and do their part,” explained Maria. The training focuses on equipping teachers with skills to engage students through active, child-centered learning. It emphasizes interactive teaching methods, such as games, songs, and hands-on activities.
Gladys and her team of trainers support over 700 teachers in Kakuma, helping them develop skills and transition to a more interactive teaching model. For many teachers, this marks a significant shift from traditional methods that rely heavily on lectures and note-taking.
"I love teaching," shared Gladys. "Where I am from, I was the first girl to go to university. The only profession I knew was a teacher, and I decided that’s what I wanted to do. At times, you’ve had a long day, but when you stand before a class… there’s some energy that comes. You see change in someone’s life, and that is the best reward anyone can get."
Despite progress made through programs like TeachWell, challenges remain. For instance, Maria’s classroom regularly accommodates 219 students. Managing such large classes with limited resources is daunting, but the training has given her tools to improve engagement.
"Controlling the learners is very hard," Gladys admitted. "But teachers report that after the training it’s now easier to manage big classes. For example, if a teacher creates an activity and calls a few learners to the front to demonstrate, the others become curious to understand what’s happening. They work hard, hoping to be chosen next."
Maria also highlighted the broader need for teacher-focused support. "Most of these teachers very much look forward to these trainings because they rarely get them," she said. "Most projects focus so much on the learners—but no one ever thinks about the teachers."
Managing large classes is compounded by the lack of basic resources like writing materials and technology. Yet, TeachWell has made strides in equipping refugee teachers like Maria with practical strategies and even opportunities for professional growth.
Through the Diploma in Primary Teacher Education (DPTE) program, refugee teachers are provided with the opportunity to advance their academic qualifications and work towards obtaining a teaching degree. TeachWell’s DPTE program, which began on December 18 and ends in April 2026, currently supports 52 teachers in Kakuma and 147 teachers in Dadaab Refugee Camp.
TeachWell, a $27 million project funded by the LEGO Foundation and the Grundfos Foundation, developed in consortium with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), Lutheran World Foundation (LWF), RTI International, Film Aid Kenya, and African Population Health and Research Center (APHRC), is set to be implemented over five years (September 2023 - August 2028). The project covers all Primary and Junior Secondary school teachers in the refugee camps and host counties of Turkana and Garissa counties.
The aim of the project is to enhance learning outcomes and learners’ wellbeing by promoting play-based learning in classrooms through teacher training as well as addressing barriers to play and child-focused learning in refugee-hosting areas. It features a comprehensive Teacher Professional Development (TPD) package designed to complement the Kenya’s Ministry of Education’s Competency-Based Curriculum training while integrating Play-Based Learning, Social-Emotional Learning, Universal Design for Learning, and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS). The TPD package, over the course of the implementation period, will be delivered through a multi-forum approach to ensure accessibility for all teachers.
As we marked International Day of Education last month, it’s vital to recognize that education in refugee camps is a critical priority. Teachers like Maria play an essential role in shaping futures, but they cannot do it alone. They need sustained professional development, resources, and support to overcome the unique challenges of teaching in such contexts. Programs like TeachWell demonstrate the transformative impact of investing in teacher training and remind us that empowering educators is key to building brighter futures for refugee communities.