As we near World Refugee Day, we would like to highlight the success of Lemlem Betesilase, whose dedication to learning new skills prepared her to start her own salon business. When COVID-19 hit, Lemlem’s work as a street vendor suffered. Through RefuSHE’s partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, Lemlem was able to pay the bills and take care of her son.

RefuSHE is thrilled to announce the appointment of new US Board Member, Nicole Kamaleson, and new Kenya Board Members, Loise Maina and Effie Cooke. This is an exceptionally exciting time to join RefuSHE as we take strides to decolonize philanthropy, deepen our mental health service work, and amplify the talent and leadership of our team in Nairobi.

RefuSHE supporter Sophia Rothman found a creative way to give back and inspire others during a challenging year. By hosting a socially distant Scarf Social, Sophia and her fellow Let Girls Learn Club members raised $2,800+ in support of RefuSHE’s Artisan Collective and education programs!

Join Managing Director Jailan Adly in her next chapter with RefuSHE and help us send a message to the world! Local leadership is the way forward. Let’s show the world that support will not waiver when organizations take brave steps.

On International Women's Day, we celebrate the strength and resilience of women across the globe. At RefuSHE, we are proud to continually offer our own community of young women opportunities to learn, grow, and become resilient leaders. With your support, our new mental health initiatives will build on those existing opportunities and provide the young refugee women we serve with innovative, culturally-competent, and science-based holistic care.

Please join us on February 17, 2021 for an exclusive opportunity to meet RefuSHE’s new CEO and interact with members of the RefuSHE team, including student and alumni leaders. We invite you to ask questions and learn more about our programs!

Like so many organizations around the world, RefuSHE was forced to adapt to the challenges brought on by the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. None of the solutions we came up with and successfully implemented would have been possible without the creativity, expertise, and dedication of our staff.

Via Philanthropy News Digest: To ensure greater progress toward a shared prosperity, decolonizing philanthropy presents an opportunity to make every dollar go further by centering investment in community-driven solutions. RefuSHE’s Geoffrey Thige and Jailan Adly, share three ways funders can ensure their investments are more efficient, effective, and equitable.

We know the last year has been difficult for so many communities across the globe and because of that, ringing in 2021 may feel different from New Years past. At RefuSHE, we're leaning into "different" and embracing the spirit of resilience.

When we face a crisis, we see the disruption as a time for innovation and rebirth. In the face of hardships caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic, RefuSHE’s spirit of resilience and innovation has led us to an exciting new partnership with Mastercard Foundation!

Earlier this year, I had the privilege of introducing you to Geoffrey Thige as RefuSHE Kenya’s Executive Director. Ten months later, on behalf of both the U.S. and Kenya Board of Directors, I have the even greater honor of announcing that come January 1, 2021, Geoffrey will become the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of RefuSHE!

Every year on October 11th, we celebrate the International Day of the Girl – a day that recognizes girls' rights and the unique challenges they face and promotes girls' empowerment. You can guess why this day is near and dear to our hearts. When a girl is given the right tools during her adolescent years, she has the potential to become an entrepreneur, innovator, mentor, teacher, and even a political leader, if she chooses. Girls are breaking boundaries and barriers to create a world that views them as equal. They are the changemakers of tomorrow.

RefuSHE is thrilled to announce the appointment of three new US Board Members: Rachel Henderson, Nida Januskis, and Hani Masood effective August 24, 2020. Our newest members will bring the US Board to a total of nine directors. This is an exceptionally exciting time to join RefuSHE as we seek innovative ways to further support the refugee girls in our care, while amplifying our local leadership team in Nairobi, Kenya.

In 2017, RefuSHE girls and staff were treated to a surprise visit from United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Special Envoy Angelina Jolie. One of the girls Angelina met was Chantale Zuzi, with whom she felt an immediate connection. Three years later, the two friends reunited over Zoom. Watch their heartwarming conversation!

Over the next few weeks, we're taking you behind the scenes to meet the designers for the Fashion Challenge and learn about the inspiration behind the unique looks they'll share on the virtual runway June 18-20th! Hear from the final three designers in our 2020 cohort…

For many us, we have been asked to stay home to remain safe and healthy. As I see my social media feed alternate between heartwarming family read-alouds to hilarious disheveled scenes of parents juggling work and homeschooling, I’m reminded that there are ways to find beauty and grace in this moment despite it being disruptive to everyday life. It also makes me think about what home means for everyone during this time. For the girls, young women, and children we serve, RefuSHE is their home.

We are deeply concerned about the health and well-being of our girls, young women, children, and staff. Last week, our team quickly rolled out a contingency plan to mitigate the situation as best we can. The Kenyan government is also rolling out protective measures, which we are following, including requiring all institutions of learning to be closed.

After much deliberation, it is with a heavy heart that we hereby announce that we will be cancelling our signature Fashion Challenge event on April 2, 2020 due to increasing concerns about the COVID-19 virus.  We are heartbroken but resolved to try to make the best of a less-than-ideal situation. It is our hope to bring the heart of this event to life through a Virtual Fashion Challenge experience to honor the creativity of our Artisan Collective and the incredible designers who agreed to participate this year.