Vocational Training
Refugee women face persistent barriers to employment, education, and economic inclusion due to disrupted schooling, language barriers, legal work restrictions, and exclusion from formal financial and digital systems. Vocational training — tailored to local market demand and integrated with financial and digital literacy — creates pathways to economic independence and fulfilling futures for refugee women.
Operating out of our campus in Nairobi’s Kilimani neighborhood, RefuSHE’s Girl Empowerment Program (GEP) is a holistic vocational training program that combines hands-on training in high-demand industries with digital literacy, life skills workshops, mental health services, daily nutritious meals, transportation and child care stipends, case management, and post-grad support.
Market-Ready Vocational Training
RefuSHE’s Girl Empowerment Program (GEP) consists of two vocational tracks that provide pathways into Nairobi’s fast-growing fashion and beauty industries. These high-demand sectors are ideal for refugee women in Nairobi because of the relatively low barrier to earning national certification and launching a small business, as well as the high demand in Nairobi for these services and flexible work structure (ideal for mothers).
By providing hands-on training and access to internships and income-generating opportunities, we ensure our students feel empowered to enter the job market and successfully build careers upon completion of their training.
Fashion & Design Program
This program covers pattern drafting and cutting; practical garment construction; dressmaking; applying key sewing techniques such as seams, hems, and finishing; and more. The program culminates in an internship or apprenticeship, leveraging RefuSHE's vast network of local business partners (including our own Artisan Collective!). After the internship, students graduate and can sit for a nationally recognized examination accredited by the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), positioning them to obtain formal certification and enhancing their employment opportunities.
Beauty Art & Nail Program
This program teaches essential skills in both cultural and contemporary beauty techniques, such as henna application, manicure and pedicure, acrylic nail application, and professional make-up artistry. They also receive training in salon management and customer service, ensuring they are prepared for both technical and business aspects of the industry. A core component of this project includes training on eco-friendly beauty products to promote environmental sustainability.
The program culminates in an internship or apprenticeship, followed by NITA examination, positioning them to obtain national certification and generate sustainable income.
91%
OF GEP STUDENTS GRADUATED THEIR COURSE AND EARNED REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE THROUGH INTERNSHIPS OR FREELANCE WORK IN 2025.
Life Skills Development
We provide GEP students with training on sexual and reproductive health, human rights, conflict resolution, leadership, community collaboration, and gender-based violence prevention and response so that they may develop a confident voice in the decisions that affect their lives. By learning about their rights and how to claim them, refugee girls become resilient, self-assured, and empowered leaders.
Digital Literacy Training
While Nairobi is recognized as Africa’s premier tech hub, the city's 50,000+ refugee women are largely disconnected from the digital economy due to high poverty rates, interrupted schooling, and gender inequality. With limited digital literacy and access to internet connection and devices, refugee women often eke out livings in Nairobi's informal sector
RefuSHE integrates a 6-month digital literacy course into its vocational training programs (Fashion & Design and Beauty Art & Nail). These trainings not only cover the basics to help them navigate the digital world; they also teach them how to market their vocational skills and generate sustainable income in Nairobi's digital gig economy. The curriculum teaches students the basics of Microsoft Office, graphic design, social media marketing, freelancing platforms, cyber-security, harnessing A.I., and identifying scams and misinformation targeting refugees.
59%
OF DIGITAL LITERACY GRADUATES INDICATED A DESIRE TO START THEIR OWN ONLINE ENTERPRISES.
Wraparound Supports
Considering the complex and multi-layered challenges refugee girls and women face in Nairobi - from deep-rooted trauma and grief to language and employment barriers – we recognize the vital importance of integrating holistic support services into our vocational training. GEP students have access to a wide range of on-campus support services, including: basic literacy and numeracy education, individualized case management, trauma-informed therapy (both individual and group), yoga therapy, gender-based violence awareness trainings, life skills workshops, two nutritious meals a day, transportation and child care stipends, and community celebrations.