Funded by: UNHCR Spain (ACNUR España)
🔍 About the project
Kudwa Academy was a training programme designed especially for young refugees, asylum-seekers, stateless persons and other community members. Hosted by migrants and refugees themselves, the programme created an interactive and transformative space where participants learned practical skills in leadership and participation.
🎯 Main objectives
- To empower young migrants and refugees to take an active role in their communities.
- To develop participants’ skills in self-awareness, self-confidence, communication, active listening and coping with uncertainty.
- To strengthen community leadership and peer-learning among refugee and migrant youth.
- To promote inclusive and meaningful participation in society and community life.
🤝 Kudwa’ role
Kudwa conceived and delivered the training series with the support UNHCR Spain, providing a welcoming learning environment where young people could build advocacy, storytelling and leadership skills, regardless of their prior experience.
🧭 Activities & Highlights
- A workshop series that included modules such as “Non-Violent Communication”, “Forced Displacement: From Shock to Opportunity” and “Storytelling for Social Change”.
- Sessions run by migrant and refugee facilitators, fostering peer-led learning and supportive community connections.
- Interactive group work, reflections and exercises aimed at helping participants turn their stories and experiences into active contributions to their new communities.
🌍 Impact
Kudwa Academy enabled young people with migrant and refugee backgrounds to increase their confidence, build meaningful networks, improve communication and advocacy skills, and step into leadership roles within their communities.
ANTA MI: Celebrating Belonging and Participation
As part of Kudwa Academy’s final phase, we hosted the ANTA MI event — an inclusive converging of community members, migrants and stakeholders to honour the voices of change and participation.
- The event was structured around the theme “I Belong”, emphasising community ownership, identity and agency.
- Key moments included the opening presentation of the projects by the UNHCR representative, followed by “Kudwa Talks” featuring participants who shared personal journeys of engagement and leadership.
- A round-table brought together panelists from diverse backgrounds to reflect on participation, belonging and civic voice in multilingual and intersectional contexts.
- The atmosphere was intentionally welcoming and multilingual, ensuring that all could engage and feel included regardless of language or background.
- Through interactive sessions, performances and dialogue, ANTA MI affirmed that meaningful participation transforms not just individual lives but broader communities.
