Photo courtesy Mrs. Françoise Demole

Article by Ben Dwork, Global Communications Manager, RET International

Since our founding in 2000, by Mrs. Sadako Ogata and Mrs. Françoise Demole, RET International has worked in over 35 countries, implementing more than 460 projects to support displaced and vulnerable communities. We previously told the Mrs. Ogata’s story, and today we explore Mrs. Demole’s passion for refugee support and education which helped launch the organization. 

In this oral history, she reflects on RET’s origins, its rapid growth, and its evolving mission under current CEO Ms. Zeynep Gündüz.

The Origins of RET

For Mrs. Demole, the refugee crisis was never just an abstract issue. It was personal: “I studied and worked as a social worker, so my idea was always to help others. And then, refugees, it’s in my family’s DNA. My mother’s ancestors were refugees in the Reformation era; they came to Geneva in the 16th century. Ever since, we’ve been sensitive to the plight of refugees. We even welcomed a Cambodian father and his two children into our home after he lost his wife and family. They stayed with us for two years, and we are still in touch today.”

It was this deep connection to refugee issues that led Mrs. Demole to a transformative meeting with Mrs. Sadako Ogata, then the UN High Commissioner for Refugees: “It all happened with Mrs. Ogata. She was receiving a prize at a ceremony in town, and I had invited the UNHCR board members for dinner afterward. That night, I called the president of the city and asked if they could keep the Geneva lighthouse lit later than usual so she could admire it. When she arrived, I said, ‘Madame Ogata, the light is up for you.’ And she laughed, saying, ‘I’ve found a woman who can command the lighthouse; I want to work with her.’”

The UNHCR’s 50th Anniversary and the Need for Action

According to Mrs. Demole, Mrs. Ogata was hesitant about the upcoming 50th anniversary of UNHCR: “[She told me], ‘They want me to celebrate, but what do I celebrate? I must commemorate, if anything. If we were doing things right, UNHCR wouldn’t need to be here.’” Mrs. Ogata was referring to the fact that initially, UNHCR was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1950 in the aftermath of the Second World War to help the millions of Europeans who had fled or lost their homes. But as more refugee crises emerged, the need for the organization continued, and the mandate and scope of its work increase.

But Mrs. Ogata did see an urgent need: education for refugee adolescents. “She told me, ‘The youngest children, yes, they can learn under a tree. But for older children, if you don’t give them education, they will become child soldiers, they will be forced into marriage, or worse.’ She asked me, ‘Can you help me make something happen?’”

The Birth of RET International

Within months, Mrs. Demole and Mrs. Ogata co-founded RET International, and by 2003, the organization had launched a major operation with Afghan refugees in Pakistan and taken on work in several other fragile zones across the world. “We started with [a small budget] and an office near UNHCR. Our first project was in Peshawar, Pakistan, supporting Afghan refugees, especially young girls. And when I see what they have become now, it’s incredible. They kept writing to us, saying, ‘Thank you for giving us a school.’”

Growth and Evolution Under New Leadership

In 2003, Ms. Zeynep Gündüz took over leadership of RET as CEO, steering the organization through an era of change. “Zeynep wanted to grow,” Mrs. Demole recalls, remembering they felt they were at a crossroads: “Do we expand, or do we focus on doing what we already do, even better?”

RET evolved to support displaced people beyond camps, integrating into urban settings. “Madame [Zanele] Mbeki, the wife of the African Union president [Thabo Mbeki], once told me, ‘We don’t have camps anymore. Refugees are everywhere.’ That changed the work. It’s more complicated now, but also more important than ever.”

Another emerging challenge is, and will continue to be, technology: “Artificial intelligence terrifies me. A teacher told me, ‘Students don’t even want to write anymore. They ask ChatGPT to do it for them.’ But in refugee settings, these kids still think, they still learn. Maybe they will be better prepared for the future than students who rely on machines.”

The Future of RET

As RET marks its 25th anniversary, our mission remains clear: We will continue to foster resilience, empowerment, and transformation in vulnerable communities. “We must keep supporting the people we’ve worked with for decades,” Mrs. Demole insists. “Many of those who once needed help are now leading their own NGOs. That’s the real impact.”

Yet challenges remain, particularly financial: “We are always dependent on donor funding, and priorities change. But we keep moving forward.”

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