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This year, Kiron marks its tenth anniversary, celebrating a decade of creating pathways to education and opportunity for refugees and displaced people worldwide. Since 2015, Kiron has reached more than 175,000 learners from 160 countries with free, high-quality education and skills training. Yet as global displacement reaches record levels, Kiron’s work is more crucial than ever in integrating people into new communities and addressing crucial labor shortages around the world.
Kiron was founded in 2015 as a grassroots crowdfunding initiative to respond to the urgent needs of forcibly displaced people facing immense barriers to education, including missing documents, language challenges, financial hardship, and limited university capacity. By partnering with universities in its early years, Kiron enabled thousands of displaced people to continue their studies and begin rebuilding their lives.
Kiron’s work has reached across Europe and the Middle East. In Lebanon and Jordan, more than 12,000 learners built skills in language, digital literacy, and entrepreneurship, supporting their growth in some of the world’s most challenging circumstances. While the programs on the ground concluded in both countries in 2024 due to shifting global funding priorities, the skills and networks fostered through them continue to shape the lives of alumni. Today, Kiron remains committed to providing online learning worldwide, reaching learners no matter where they are.
Over the years, Kiron’s programs have evolved from higher education access to job market readiness. In 2022, the organization honed its focus on equipping displaced people and migrants facing barriers with in-demand skills for today’s labor market. Guided by input from learners and partners, new pathways were designed to bridge skill gaps and prepare displaced people for meaningful careers, strengthening Kiron’s role in promoting inclusion and economic opportunity. Since then, more than ten programs have launched, including THRIVE, Kiron’s tech upskilling program for women, which has already supported over 650 participants. Kiron’s alumni are already reshaping their communities. Many have secured jobs or promotions in IT, education, and healthcare, while others have returned to Kiron as mentors, coaches, or even colleagues.
Looking ahead, Kiron’s next decade will focus on scaling digital learning, forging increased partnerships with employers, and advocating for more inclusive labor markets. The challenges are especially urgent for women. Research shows that 71% of refugee women in Germany remain unemployed even after seven years, compared to 25% of men. Addressing such inequalities is central to Kiron’s mission, with programs like THRIVE opening doors for women into the digital economy. By preparing displaced people and migrants facing barriers for meaningful careers, Kiron supports integration and helps close critical labor shortages, building stronger, more resilient communities for everyone.
About Kiron:
Kiron is a nonprofit organization dedicated to offering accessible and innovative education for refugees and underserved communities globally. Since 2015, Kiron has provided over 175,000 learners with skills essential for the labor market through its comprehensive digital platform, Kiron Campus, and blended learning programs, fostering academic, professional, and personal growth.
For media inquiries or further information, please contact:
Ezinne Uzoije
Senior Digital Marketing Manager
