For many young refugees, access to higher education remains a distant dream. For Ebuela Bushiri Isaac (28), a Congolese refugee youth and former volunteer social worker in Nyarugusu camp in Tanzania, that dream became a mission.

Born in Nyarugusu Camp, Ebuela has no recollection of life in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as his parents fled the country in 1997 due to conflict and civil unrest. With support from UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and education partners, Ebuela progressed through primary and secondary education in the camp, learning in the curriculum of his homeland, as required by Tanzanian policy. After completing his education, he faced the same challenges that confront many refugee youth in Tanzania – financial hardship and policy barriers such as restriction on movement outside the camp and limited livelihood and higher education opportunities.

His aspirations for higher education seemed out of reach until he learned about scholarship opportunities through his peers. Even as he faced uncertainty about his own future, Ebuela poured his energy into uplifting others – serving as a youth incentive social worker with UNHCR’s education partner the International Rescue Committee. Amid chasing his dreams, he was already helping others chase theirs, a quiet testament to his unwavering spirit. After several attempts, Ebuela was awarded a Deutsche Akademische Flüchtlings Initiative (DAFI) scholarship to pursue a bachelor’s degree at the University of Iringa in Tanzania. UNHCR works with DAFI globally in supporting refugees to access tertiary education and vocational training in local universities. 

“Everything paused the moment I received a call that I had been selected for a scholarship. I felt a deep sense of joy, relief, and hope as I thought about the times when I almost gave up. That call gave me an opportunity to study and a reason to continue supporting others,” reflected Ebuela.

This milestone marked the beginning of a new chapter, not just for Ebuela but for many others. Determined to continue giving back to the community, he committed himself to helping fellow refugee youth navigate the complex world of scholarship applications. He began researching eligibility criteria, simplifying application procedures, and mentoring other refugee youth in the camp through the process.

Driven by this passion, in 2023, Ebuela founded the Global Scholar Network (GSN) – a refugee youth-led initiative that supports refugee students by providing guidance on scholarship opportunities, development of personal statements, and mentorship throughout the application journey.

“Through my experiences, challenges, and accomplishments, I give young people a sense of acknowledgment, which forms the foundation of my influence,” said Ebuela.

GSN uses a blended outreach model, combining in-person school visits, youth dialogues, and mentorship meetings with digital platforms such as WhatsApp groups and social media. “This approach has enabled the network to grow and reach refugee youth in Congo, Burundi, Malawi, Rwanda, and other parts of the world. It also brings in youths who previously benefited from its mentorship and scholarship opportunities. Today, GSN supports a vibrant community of over 377 young people on WhatsApp and 417 followers on LinkedIn,” explained Ebuela.

To date, 83 students have received educational support through GSN, with 69 based in Nduta and Nyarugusu camps. “Out of these students, fourteen have secured scholarships – five at universities in Tanzania and nine at universities abroad,” exclaimed Ebuela.

“With the support of the GSN, I was able to navigate the scholarship application process with clarity and confidence, transforming a long-standing dream into a concrete opportunity. Their mentorship proved that with the right support, even the boldest ambitions can be achieved,” said Thierry Niyubutu (24), a Burundian refugee youth and DAFI scholar from Nyarugusu Camp. 

UNHCR and its education partners in Tanzania are supporting the GSN and refugee youth through information-sharing on scholarship opportunities, guidance through the competitive selection process, and providing books and necessary documentation for applications. UNHCR is grateful for the continued support of scholarship opportunities offered by Canada, Germany, and Italy, as they have allowed refugees to pursue tertiary education in and outside Tanzania.

“Young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow; they’re already making a difference today. When we empower them, we unlock a powerful force that can rebuild lives, strengthen communities, and drive lasting change because their potential is limitless,” said Judith Kiwale, UNHCR Education Associate.

Despite its impact on refugee youth, GSN is faced with challenges such as a lack of a proper office structure with equipment and stationeries. To bridge these gaps, GSN is actively pursuing partnerships with scholarship programs, universities, and organizations that champion refugee empowerment, as well as inviting contributions in terms of financial support, mentorship and capacity building for refugee youth.

“I am planning to transform the GSN into a youth-led organization with both a strong local presence and a dynamic digital platform through an online hub that will offer e-learning tools, scholarship resources, and coaching support,” outlined Ebuela, “True leadership lies in purpose, not position, and in empowering others to rise beyond their circumstances.” The GSN is a vital stepping stone for refugee youth across East Africa passionate about becoming changemakers in their communities.

UNHCR continues to urgently appeal for donor support for refugee education and youth empowerment activities in the camps. Currently, UNHCR has only received 21 percent of the funds needed for the refugee response in Tanzania this year.

A new legislation that criminalizes lawyers and activists who help asylum seekers has been passes by the Hungarian parliament.  

Anyone “facilitating illegal immigration” will face a year in jail.

Viktor Orban’s government has dubbed the legislation the “Stop Soros law”, after the billionaire philanthropist it accuses of supporting Muslim migrants.

The vote in Budapest came hours after a number of European Union leaders agreed to hold crisis talks on how to overhaul asylum rules.

Hungary says immigration threatens its national security, but its hardline stance and new law have faced widespread international criticism.

The UN refugee agency urged Hungarian officials to scrap the proposed law and legal experts from the Council of Europe human rights organisation appealed for the vote to be postponed until they had submitted a review of the measures on Friday.

A report by the Council’s Venice Commission leaked to the BBC said the Hungarian legislation “criminalises organisational activities which are not directly related to the materialisation of the illegal migration”.

The new legislation amends eight existing laws and introduces one new crime of “facilitating illegal immigration”.

Under the new law, anyone could be jailed for working for or with non-governmental organisations that are involved in helping or campaigning for asylum seekers. Human rights groups insist all they are trying to do is help people who have been allowed in Hungary legally apply for asylum.

The measures also tighten restrictions on asylum, so that anyone attempting to enter Hungary from a third country where they are not directly threatened with persecution cannot claim protection.

In a related development, MPs passed an amendment to the constitution that declares that “alien populations cannot be settled in Hungary”, in effect outlawing the European Commission’s attempts to relocate asylum seekers from Italy and Greece to other EU states.

When some 400,000 people travelled through Hungary in the middle of the migrant crisis of 2015 on their way to Western Europe, Mr Orban ordered fences put up to halt the influx. The Commission imposed a mandatory asylum quota for every EU state in response to the crisis, but Mr Orban refused to accept it.

In 2015, 177,000 people sought asylum in Hungary but only a few hundred were accepted. Last year, the number of asylum claims fell to around 3,200.

Vesti, a financial technology hub and migration infrastructure company, has launched an Artificial Intelligence-powered assistant to support students planning to travel overseas for education.

Alongside the innovation, the company has provided over ₦1 billion in loan facilities to help migrants overcome challenges in accessing foreign education and other migration-related opportunities.

Speaking at the inauguration of Vesti’s new branch in Osogbo, Osun State capital, Southwest Nigeria, the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Olusola Amusan, said the company was established four years ago with the mission of breaking barriers faced by immigrants in pursuing education and other prospects abroad.

He explained “Our headquarters is in Dallas, Texas with offices in five countries including Nigeria. We are on a mission to provide legal and financial services for the 1billion immigrants.

“According to the United Nations on Migration, there are 272million people living in a country other than where they were born, so migration is a global imperative for work, education and many more.”

Also, co-founder, Barrister Abimbola Amusan, disclosed that “the hub support outflow and inflow of migrant. We have helped hundreds of students and over 4,000 families to move to countries. We gave N500m loan in 2025 alone and in total we have given N1billion loan, we will give more.”

He noted that Vesti is partnering with over 120 schools across the world, hence they provide post migration support by providing job opportunities, scholarships, continuous guidance.

Earlier, Governor Ademola Adeleke lauded Vesti for establishing the company in Osogbo to make youths and residents of the state to benefit from the initiative.

Adeleke who was represented by his Special Adviser on Investment and CEO Osun State Investment Promotion Agency, Hon Felix Olagunju, said “the government has revived the agency which has go a long way to provide enabling environment for start-ups, we want more of this company in the state to make our youths’ dreams come true.”