Project Faulu

In 2006, a passionate group of Somali Bantu community leaders founded the Refugee Education Center. On arrival to the United States, our founders recognized the incredible new opportunity for their communities' children and all refugee children in West Michigan to receive education and participate in their new community as equals.  

The Refugee Education Center's cornerstone K-8 program, Project Faulu, is where it all began! 

Faulu means success in Swahili. The Refugee Education Center borrowed the word for its K-8 program to express its goal - academic success. Project Faulu was designed to meet the unique social and academic strengths and needs of K-8 refugee students with varied experiences and languages. With holistic support, the program ensures each student can engage in school and progress alongside their American-born peers. 

Project Faulu Focus

Project Faulu focuses on positive social skills and academic engagement so students are better prepared for success in a variety of settings, both at school and within the broader community. Using a theme-based curriculum facilitated by trained community volunteers, students engage in hands-on activities on topics relevant to their lives that encourage oral language development along with meaningful reading and writing skill development.   

Educational Resources

Students and volunteers also have access to various educational resources, including a diverse selection of children’s and young adult literature. This way, students see their experiences and cultures reflected in literature and gain a window into others’. 

Partnerships to Support Student Well-Being

In addition to our after-school program at the Refugee Education Center headquarters, students are supported in West Michigan schools through partnerships with area schools and school districts. Progress is shared among our program staff, students’ teachers, and students’ parents. This helps us all support the development and well-being of each student in areas where it’s most needed.