FAWE has officially commenced the Annual Review and Planning Meeting for the GPE KIX Tuseme Programme: A Voice for Refugee and IDP Children in Kisumu, Kenya, bringing together implementing partners FAWE Kenya, FAWE Uganda, FAWE Ethiopia, HERS-EA, and ACER UK. As the lead implementing partner, FAWE convened this strategic gathering to reflect on progress, share lessons learned, and chart a clear path forward as the programme enters its final year of implementation.
This annual convening provided a critical platform for collective reflection and forward planning, grounded in the programme’s core mission: ensuring that refugee and internally displaced learners—girls and boys alike—have the voice, confidence, and agency to actively shape their educational experiences through Tuseme clubs. In fragile and displacement-affected contexts, where learners often face barriers to participation and protection, the Tuseme model continues to demonstrate its transformative potential by placing young people at the centre of change.
Opening the meeting, FAWE Deputy Executive Director and Head of Programmes, Teresa Omondi Adeitan, reminded participants of the responsibility and opportunity that lies ahead:
“We should see this as the last year of the current contract, but not the end of the great work. In this meeting, we will reflect, harness the gains, package and communicate our next steps. The girls and boys of Tuseme clubs in refugee camps are counting on us.”
Her remarks set a clear and purposeful tone—one focused not only on assessing progress, but also on sustaining and scaling impact beyond the current funding cycle.
As part of the review process, FAWE convened an exchange and learning visit to Runyu Comprehensive School in Busia County, a school serving communities affected by displacement due to flooding. The visit provided partners with a powerful opportunity to witness firsthand how the Tuseme approach is strengthening learners’ voice, agency, and participation in real-world contexts.
The exchange brought together teachers, school leaders, community representatives, members of the IDP camp Board of Management, and development partners including ChildFund International. Participants reflected on the challenges facing displaced learners—from interrupted schooling to social and emotional barriers—and explored locally driven solutions emerging through Tuseme clubs.
The Chief Guest, Mercyline Makokha, Sub-County Director of Education for Bunyala, representing the County Director of Education, highlighted the programme’s tangible impact, noting that school enrolment has increased since the programme began two years ago. She reaffirmed the County Government’s commitment to sustaining and expanding the initiative, recognising its role in strengthening inclusive education systems in displacement-affected communities.
Speaking during the visit, Teresa Omondi Adeitan emphasised the deeper significance of the Tuseme model:
“Tuseme gives young people the agency to become key actors in solving challenges within their schools and communities.”
This exchange reinforced a powerful and enduring lesson: when learners are given safe spaces to speak, communities listen—and education systems become more inclusive, responsive, and resilient.
The meeting concluded with renewed commitment and clarity of purpose. FAWE and its partners engaged in in-depth discussions to analyse evidence, identify scalable practices, and align on strategies to consolidate programme gains and ensure sustainability beyond the life of the grant.
In her closing reflections, Prof. Hazel Miseda Mumbo, FAWE Africa Honorary Treasurer and Vice Chancellor of Great Lakes University of Kisumu, underscored the importance of research-driven partnerships in advancing gender-responsive and inclusive education:
“Research is what makes girls’ voices not only heard, but respected and protected. Tuseme Clubs are viable structures for our success, and the GPE KIX Tuseme programme continues to strengthen this foundation.”
FAWE extends its sincere appreciation to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and IDRC for their financial and technical support, which has enabled evidence-informed programming that centres children’s voices in education responses in fragile and displacement-affected settings.
As the programme enters its final year, the path forward is clear: consolidate achievements, document impact, and scale the Tuseme model to reach more learners. By strengthening voice, agency, and participation, FAWE and its partners are helping ensure that refugee and displaced children are not only included in education—but empowered to shape it.