The Refugee Youth Empowerment Network (RYENET), currently based at the Nyarugusu camp in Kigoma region, Tanzania, was founded in 2017 by a talented young entrepreneur called Elias Msoshi several years after he completed his studies at the University of Dodoma. During his regular field studies at the camp, he noticed how severely his fellow refugees were facing the hardships of poverty, violence and a lack of educational opportunities. Youths, especially girls, were the ones to bear the brunt of serious challenges as we can see today. They are excluded, exploited, oppressed and discriminated against. Few participate in any sort of decision making, from family level all the way to community level. They cannot get an education and are considered as people of low value and who cannot contribute in an argument. They are victims of gender based violence and sexually transmitted infections.
Young refugees want to be empowered. In meeting the needs of social burden, economic dependency and lack of participation in decision making of this particular group of refugees, after graduating, Elias returned to his refugee community in Nyarugusu camp, working as a founder and Executive Director of the Refugee Youth Empowerment Network (RYENET).
As community ownership grew, RYENET was able to expand and create programs in Mtendeli and Nduta refugee camps in Kigoma region to address youth apathy toward education, build discussion groups on sexual and reproductive health and what it means to lead a good life in these camps, and eventually invest in vocational training programs. RYENET took on these initiatives and more because of the community response and participation. Eventually, RYENET turned their attention to activities and programs for supporting their own orphans and vulnerable children.
As community ownership grew, RYENET was able to expand and create programs in Mtendeli and Nduta refugee camps in Kigoma region to address youth apathy toward education, build discussion groups on sexual and reproductive health and what it means to lead a good life in these camps, and eventually invest in vocational training programs. RYENET took on these initiatives and more because of the community response and participation. Eventually, RYENET turned their attention to activities and programs for supporting their own orphans and vulnerable children.
RYENET has become a grassroots beacon in the camps, working to unify young people to discuss, identify, and act to address their problems together. Today, the organization is still led by young volunteers and community members in refugee camps in Kigoma, all committed to building a more stable and prosperous future, for themselves and their communities.