Welcome
Refugee Strong is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering refugee communities through education and support. Founded by Omar Mohamed, a former Somali refugee, the organization focuses on providing students in refugee camps with essential school supplies, scholarships, and menstrual health kits to ensure consistent school attendance—especially for girls.
Key initiatives include:
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Educational Support: Distributing school supplies and funding scholarships to help students pursue their academic goals.
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Health & Hygiene: Providing menstruation kits to reduce school absenteeism among girls.
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Community Empowerment: Building libraries and educational spaces, such as their third library in the Dadaab refugee camp, to foster learning and community development.
Refugee Strong operates with the belief that education is the most powerful tool for creating a brighter future for displaced youth. The organization is based in Pennsylvania but works globally to uplift refugee voices and opportunities.
Current Fundraising Projects
Essentials to Thrive is a fundraiser dedicated to providing clean water and menstrual health supplies to those living in the Dadaab Refugee Camp. Funds raised will be used to purchase water filter kits that protect families from waterborne illness and menstruation kits that support health, dignity, and daily life. These essentials are small tools with life‑changing impact—because everyone deserves the chance to thrive.
Water Filtration Kits
Support Refugee Strong: Help Bring Clean Water to Families in Dadaab.
Every day in the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya, families wake up facing a reality no one should endure: water that is unsafe to drink. For more than 300,000 people—many of them children—clean water is not a guarantee. It’s a daily struggle. Refugee Strong is launching a campaign to change that, one water filter at a time. A single water filter can protect an entire family from waterborne illness. It means fewer children missing school because of preventable sickness. It means parents no longer forced to choose between thirst and contaminated water.
It means dignity, safety, and hope. For families who have already lost so much, clean water is not just a basic need—it’s a lifeline.
Why your support matters now
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Dadaab continues to receive new arrivals fleeing conflict and drought.
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Existing water sources are overstretched and often unsafe.
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Waterborne diseases remain one of the leading threats to children in the camp.
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A durable, high‑quality water filter costs far less than the medical care required to treat preventable illness.
Your donation directly places water filters into the hands of families who need them most. There is no middle step, no delay—just immediate, life‑changing impact.
What your gift can do
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$20 provides clean water for a child.
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$50 equips an entire household with a long‑lasting filter.
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$100 supports multiple families and strengthens community health.
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Any amount moves us closer to ensuring every family in Dadaab has safe water.
Clean water shouldn’t be a privilege. It shouldn’t depend on where someone was born or what they’ve fled. It is a human right—and together, we can make it a reality.
Donate today. Give the gift of clean water. Give hope.
Empowering Blind Students Through Braille Technology
Refugee Strong is also rallying support to raise funds for the Orbit Braille Reading Device, a transformative tool that will open new doors for blind students living in the refugee camp. Access to Braille technology is extremely limited in these settings, leaving many learners without the resources they need to study independently, build literacy, and fully participate in school. By helping provide the Orbit device, supporters are investing directly in these students’ futures—giving them the chance to read, learn, and thrive despite the challenges around them. This effort isn’t just about purchasing equipment; it’s about restoring dignity, expanding opportunity, and ensuring that every child, regardless of circumstance or disability, has the tools to pursue their education.
Scoring for Hope: The Annual Soccer Tournament is Underway!
The Dadaab Refugee Camp is alive with energy right now as Riya's Annual Soccer Tournament kicks off. This powerful event brings together young athletes from across camp communities, offering a vital space for joy, teamwork, and healthy competition.
Beyond the goals and victories on the pitch, this tournament plays a crucial role in building community and resilience, fostering leadership, and providing a creative outlet for youth navigating life in the camp. Soccer serves as a universal language here, uniting communities, uplifting spirits, and proving that hope. (Summer 2026)
Donate today to support this yearly tournament!
Update
Riya’s Soccer Tournament – A Huge Success for Refugee Strong!
What an incredible achievement! The volunteer ground team did an outstanding job organizing Riya’s Soccer Tournament, bringing together so many people through the power of soccer, community, and shared dreams. The impact went far beyond what we had imagined.
After seeing videos shared by Somali TikTok creators, the Somali National Soccer Coach agreed to attend and watch the final games. A Somali influencer also joined us to watch the senior boys’ final, where he encouraged the youth to stay focused, believe in themselves, and never give up on their dreams. Even more exciting, he was accompanied by representatives of the Somali Under-20 team, who expressed interest in recruiting talented players from the refugee camps. This was truly beyond our expectations!
This tournament was about more than soccer. It was about creating opportunities, building connections, showcasing talent, and reminding young refugees that their dreams matter and that their potential deserves to be seen.
A heartfelt thank you to Riya and her family, the entire volunteer ground team, and everyone who contributed their time, energy, and passion to making this event possible. You made something special happen, and the impact will go far beyond the final whistle. Together, we are creating opportunities, inspiring hope, and changing lives through sports!
~November 2026
