Habesha Project
Our Story

Habesha Project is a humanitarian civil society iniciative that was established in 2015 as a response to the greatest displacement crisis of our time; that caused by the armed conflict in Syria.

Since that time, Habesha Project’s objective has been to make it possible for young Syrians whose studies were interrupted by the conflict to continue their university education in Mexico. To do that, we created a comprehensive model through which we select at-risk young Syrians, obtain a visa for them, validate their academic qualifications, finance their travel to Mexico, and cover their accomodation and living costs during their studies in the country. Also, thanks to our network of partner universities located across Mexico, our students study for their bachelor’s or master’s degrees on full scholarships.

After years of gaining experience and refining our model, Habesha Project saw the need to look beyond the Syrian crisis, and begin tackling the displacement crisis taking place globally by offering higher education opportunities to young refugees from around the world.

Our Mission

At Habesha Project, we recognise the potential of young refugees and the fundamental role that they can play in the reconstruction of post-conflict societies. We are aware of the importance of intercultural dialogue for the bringing about of peace. For those reasons, we offer a comprehensive model that gives refugees and displaced people access to higher education.

It is an example of international protection that promotes the integration of displaced people into the communities that receive them and the full development of their skills. It has been built on partnerships with international organizations, public entities, and the private sector, as well as universities and members of civil society.

Vision

Mexico has a tradition of offering refuge to those feeling violence and intolerance, and at Habesha Project, we are looking to become a global role model in the field of higher education in emergencies. In order to do this, we call on all Mexicans to respond to the educational needs of the world’s refugees and displaced people. Together, we can promote an international culture of peace, and make Mexico an important actor in the global effort to make the vision laid out in the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 a reality.