Español 
Français 
Italiano 
English for the Sahrawi Refugee Population
For the past fifty years, the Sahrawi people have lived in a state of prolonged precariousness in refugee camps in southwestern Algeria. In this context, where the emergency has become chronic, access to quality education and dignified living conditions is not just a fundamental right, but an act of resistance and the very foundation for building a future in their homeland. This commitment is the basis of CISP’s work alongside the Sahrawi people for over four decades.
In the Camps, education is the pillar upon which young people can develop the necessary skills to understand and manage their lives, despite the uncertainty caused by the political and diplomatic impasse of the Western Sahara issue. CISP's action goes beyond simple humanitarian assistance; it aims to strengthen the community's cohesion and resilience.
"Education is access to schooling, but also the strengthening of young people's personal and professional capacities," emphasized CISP President Maura Viezzoli at a recent event in Algiers, noting that this theme is a priority in all intervention strategies of our organisation. "It is essential, in a complex emergency context like that of the Sahrawi refugees, to provide young people with the competencies that will form the basis for building their future."
With the crucial support of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), CISP has recently launched a new integrated, multi-sectoral intervention focusing on the key issues of education, health, food security, and the environment. This project aims to mitigate the effects of the emergency and build recovery capacity.
In the education sector, the main goal is to ensure quality and inclusive schooling, especially for children and adolescents at risk of dropping out. The intervention addresses the problem on multiple fronts: from the rehabilitation of facilities, including the construction of new schools and the upgrade of sanitary systems, to the provision of essential support like nutritious meals and hygiene kits for adolescent girls. Furthermore, to combat school dropout, accelerated education programs are being implemented for adolescents to support the school system. A crucial focus is placed on the teaching staff, with the training of 174 teachers to improve their pedagogical skills and the offer of bonuses to incentivize their stability. The commitment extends to the inclusion of people with special needs, through the training of social workers specialized in family support. In addition to education, the project also intervenes in the health sector, with the renovation of medical dispensaries and the purchase of a new ambulance, and the economic sector, supporting semi-nomadic animal husbandry and creating a local leather supply chain in partnership with Africa '70 and Nexus Emilia-Romagna, demonstrating a holistic approach to community resilience.
CISP's commitment was recently highlighted at a high-level event and a donor mission, both of which reaffirmed Italian support for the refugee population.
On November 10th, in the prestigious setting of the Italian Cultural Institute in Algiers, CISP and the Italian Embassy organized an important event on the theme: "Education in the Sahrawi Refugee Camps: Challenges and Perspectives."
The event saw the participation of institutional figures. Alongside the Director of the IIC, Antonia Grandi, were the Director of Cooperation for the Algerian Ministry of Education, Mustapha Djloud; UNICEF Representative Catharina Johansson; the President of the Sahrawi Red Crescent, Buehbeini Yahia; the President of CISP, Maura Viezzoli; and the Italian Ambassador to Algiers, H.E. Alberto Cutillo, who opened the proceedings by hihglighting Italy's strategic vision:
"Italy has maintained a constant commitment to the Sahrawi people for many years through humanitarian cooperation, particularly in the sectors of education, health, and food security. In all our actions in favor of Sahrawi refugees, we consider education to be the key to the dignity, autonomy, and future of the young generations."
Veronica Marcon, AICS focal point for Algeria, highlighted how Italian cooperation has consistently supported the Sahrawi population's emergency over the years, specifically regarding food fortification and education. In fact, counter to the decreasing trend among other donors, Italian cooperation has increased funding by over 10 million euros in the last decade.
Following the event, on November 11th and 12th, a delegation of 57 people—including ambassadors, officials from diplomatic offices in Algiers, and representatives of the UN agencies involved in coordinating humanitarian aid to Sahrawi refugees—conducted a field mission. The Italian delegation was led by Simone Ievolella, First Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission, and included Veronica Marcon and Sarah Corti from the AICS office in Tunis. They were able to directly witness the impact of the projects. The delegation visited several CISP project activities, such as the newly opened kindergarten in the Smara Wilaya (province), ongoing WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) works, the "Aminetu Haidar" textbook production center, and the "Hussein Tamek" poultry center. The tribute dedicated by the Sahrawi authorities to the Italian representation and CISP, with a heartfelt thank you from the Ministry of Education, reaffirmed the value of Italy's commitment and CISP's action at a critical time, marked by drastic cuts to UN agencies' humanitarian funds planned for 2025 and 2026.
This is a highly critical moment, not only due to the cuts in humanitarian aid, but also because of the complex political and diplomatic situation. The recent challenges even threatened to undermine the principle of self-determination, the very foundation of the United Nations. Despite these headwinds, CISP's commitment remains firm: to ensure that, even after fifty years of exile, education remains the Sahrawi people's most valuable resource, providing the essential foundation for them to build a future of dignity and resilience.
