Facts
A total of
177,917
people in need received our assistance in 2023.
Humanitarian overview
Kenya hosts more than 654,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers in the two camps Kakuma and Dadaab, as well as in urban areas. Most of the refugees are from Somalia and South Sudan. Some have lived in Kenya for decades, while many fled to Kenya during the 2010 drought and the civil war in South Sudan.
Freedom of movement is constrained in the camps and livelihood and working opportunities are limited. The country has experienced five consecutive below-average rainy seasons, causing the longest and most severe drought in recent history and driving rapidly rising humanitarian needs across the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) region. It also drove new displacement into Dadaab camp from Somalia, destroyed livelihoods assets and crippled purchasing power, driving up prices of basic commodities.
The new Kenya Refugee Act 2021 Act came into force in February 2022. The Act has been hailed by many as being progressive especially on matters of economic inclusion and by extension self-reliance for refugees, a crucial component of local integration as a durable solution. In addition, in line with the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF), the Government of Kenya has developed a Refugee “Shirika plan”. The plan is a shift in policy from aid dependency to refugee self-reliance and development. The objective is to facilitate the gradual transition from the refugee camp management model to integrated settlements, ease the pressure on the country as a refugee host, facilitate the transition of refugee basic service delivery from a humanitarian-led approach to government-led systems, and promote refugee and host community socio-economic inclusion for enhanced self-reliance and resilience.
-
6,399people benefited from our education programme in 2023
-
5,113people benefited from our food security programme
-
3,018people benefited from our ICLA programme
-
159,096people benefited from our WASH programme
-
13,649people benefited from other NRC activities
NRC's operation
We assist displaced people in refugee camps and the surrounding host communities in Garissa and Turkana counties.
Despite insecurity in Somalia, there is still pressure on Somali refugees to return home. We are concerned that Somalis returning through the Voluntary Repatriation Programme risk becoming internally displaced in Somalia or being forced to return to Kenya. We work together with our country operation in Somalia to advocate for genuine returns, and to help refugees make informed choices to ensure that they return safely and with dignity to genuine opportunity to reestablish their livelihoods.
Localisation agenda and areas of operation
NRC’s Kenya country office has intensified the localisation agenda in 2023 and is transitioning to fully working with local organisations as from 2024. The Kenya programme has developed a funding strategy and robust programme designs anchored under four pillars: Durable Solutions, Climate and Energy, Self-Reliance and Emergency Response.
The Kenya country office is in the process of developing four programme designs based on a defined theory of change, and aligned to the four objectives outlined. The programme designs outline programming priorities, interventions, partners and approach, and will be accompanied by a programme design budget.
The country office is mainly focussing in Dadaab, and Kakuma refugee camps and surrounding areas.
Education
In Kenya, the education programme targets vulnerable Over-age Out of School Children (OOSC) aged 10 to 18 years who have never been to school, or have dropped out of school before completion of primary school, or have had some kind of sporadic learning. This includes refugees, internally displaced persons, and host communities in Dadaab and Kakuma Refugee Camps and Kalobeyei Integrated Settlements. NRC in Kenya supports children’s educational and psychosocial needs in the aftermath of emergencies leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes through the Accelerated Education Programme (AEP) and the Better Learning Programme (BLP) respectively.
- NRC in Kenya collaborated with the Ministry of Education (MoE) on the development of AEP guidelines that provide a framework for teaching practices, assessment methods and learning outcomes, fostering a structured and effective learning environment around accelerated education.
- NRC provides access to safe, quality and inclusive education for OOSC who have missed out on education by providing accelerated learning programmes that enables them to catch up with their peers.
- NRC in Kenya is collaborating with the MoE and the National Council of Nomadic Education in Kenya (NACONEK) to institutionalise the Better Learning Programme (BLP) in formal schools.
- Conducting teacher professional development in collaboration with the MoE through continuous training, coaching and mentorship.
Information, counselling and legal assistance (ICLA)
We ensure that vulnerable displacement-affected populations are able to exercise their rights and achieve durable solutions. We:
- support displaced people to understand their rights and provide them with one-on-one legal counselling and assistance
- assist displaced people to access civil documentation such as birth and death certificates and identity documentation
- promote housing, land and property rights for refugees in camps
- support refugees and vulnerable host community members to register their businesses and formalise community groups with local authorities
- collaborate with government and humanitarian partners to ensure Kenya’s legal framework serves to protect displaced people long-term
Livelihoods and food security
We strive to improve living conditions and access to food, and build livelihood opportunities to enhance self-reliance. We:
- provide market demanded technical skills to enhance employability and entrepreneurship capabilities of target participants
- develop and implement comprehensive programmes build on graduation approach and NRC economic inclusion framework that address the multi-dimensional challenges of displacement-affected populations and sets them on a trajectory towards self-reliance
- promote climate smart agriculture and dry land farming in prioritised value chains and partner with county departments of agriculture and livestock to enhance the capacity of target participants
- support enterprises in pre-identified value chains to access jobs and self-employment
- support refugees and surrounding host communities to form community groups and obtain business licences and other legal documentation for businesses
Water, sanitation and hygiene promotion (WASH)
We work to sustain the improved access to safe and sufficient water and collaborate with other actors to support the provision of safe access to sanitation facilities. We also deliver hygiene promotion for the displacement-affected refugee populations in Dadaab, Kakuma and Kalobeyei refugee camps and settlements. We:
- design and operate water supply systems including source siting, abstraction, storage, treatment and distribution
- work with communities to plan for preventative and corrective maintenance routines, rehabilitations and replacements
- mobilise and engage refugees and host communities on household water treatment and safe storage (HWTSS) and responsible water usage practices
- select and design suitable sanitation and hygiene promotion strategies, in collaboration with other actors
- undertake institutional capacity building to support long term sustainability of NRC investments
Emergency response
Our emergency response programme provides rapid, life-saving assistance to vulnerable populations affected by disasters, conflict and displacement, particularly in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) regions. Our interventions focus on:
- delivering multi-purpose cash transfers (MPCT)
- provision of emergency shelter
- water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)
- rebuilding livelihoods
- education
- protection services
By partnering with local organisations and government authorities, NRC ensures that emergency aid reaches the most affected communities swiftly and efficiently. Recent efforts include responding to the flood and drought crises in Garissa county, where thousands of households received critical support to rebuild their livelihoods. Through capacity building, community engagement, and coordinated response strategies, NRC is committed to enhancing resilience and reducing vulnerability to future shocks.
.jpg?width=768&height=384)
