Conflict and forced displacement have a profound impact on school-age refugees, shaping not only their educational opportunities but also their broader socio-economic conditions. Refugee children typically experience diminished access to schooling, inadequate infrastructure, language barriers, and trauma from conflict, which collectively impede the development and future prospects. When children endure multiple adversities over long periods of time, they are likely to have multiple gaps in their development.

In October 2024, PHI’s Center for Immigrant and Refugee Health hosted “Inclusive Education: Improving Academic Success and Promoting Wellness for Afghan and Ukrainian Refugee Students,” an in-person event that provided a unique opportunity for direct stakeholder collaboration, information sharing and community engagement. The gathering brought together Afghan Refugee School Impact-Support to Schools (ARSI—S2S) and Ukrainian Refugee School Impact (URSI) partners, including School Districts, community-based organizations (CBOs), refugees, community members, Federal, State, County, and other relevant stakeholders to improve academic success and promote wellness for students and their families. Learn more about the event.

Below, watch a recorded conference session featuring PHI’s Dr. Mohammad Sediq Hazratzai, MD, MPH, who explored how academic success, wellness and refugee integration can be achieved if we consider the larger ecosystem such as education, social support, health and community services.

Watch: