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Researching Human Migration across Africa

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19 Aug

Kakuma Refugee Camp: A Case Study in Integration Amid Global Humanitarian Retrenchment

Kakuma Refugee Camp, located in Turkana County, Kenya, has undergone a notable transformation since its establishment over two decades ago. Originally conceived as a temporary shelter, the camp now hosts more than 150,000 refugees, primarily from South Sudan and Somalia (Theresa Beltramo and Utz Pape, 2021). Over time, Kakuma has evolved into a semi-urban settlement characterised by a robust informal economy. According to the (International Finance Corporation, 2018) the camp's market value was estimated at $56 million, with refugee-led enterprises contributing significantly to local economic activity.

 

Entrepreneurial initiatives within Kakuma have proliferated, with over 2,000 refugee-run businesses operating in the area (Ndege, 2018). One such example is the market colloquially known as “Hong Kong,” where individuals like Safi Kisasa referred to locally as Mama Safi, reportedly produce over 1,000 loaves of bread weekly, employing more than a dozen workers (Opec Fund, 2018). UNHCR’s Head of Sub-Office in Kakuma, Tayyar Sukru Cansizoglu, has described the camp as “a city,” underscoring its capacity for fostering self-reliance. Somali refugee M. H. Mohamud similarly noted a shift in perception among residents, who increasingly view themselves as “active and productive members of society” (Opec Fund, 2018). International development institutions have played a role in supporting this transition. The Kakuma Kalobeyei Challenge Fund, backed by the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation, has financed over 120 businesses and provided training to thousands in agriculture and entrepreneurship (AECF, 2024). Events such as TEDx Kakuma Camp have further spotlighted refugee-led innovation, offering a platform for narratives that challenge prevailing stereotypes (TED Talks, 2018).

Despite these developments, the camp now faces significant challenges due to a global decline in humanitarian funding. As of mid-2025, UNHCR reported that only 23% of its $10.6 billion budget had been met, placing approximately 11.6 million refugees nearly one-third of those assisted in 2024 at risk of losing access to essential services (UNHCR, 2025). Dominique Hyde, UNHCR’s Director of External Relations, noted that “families are seeing their support that they have relied on just vanish,” as the agency suspended or scaled back $1.4 billion in programming (UNHCR & UNOG, 2025).

 

The impact of these reductions has been observed across multiple regions. In South Sudan, 75% of safe spaces for women and girls supported by UNHCR have reportedly closed, affecting 80,000 individuals (UNHCR & UNOG, 2025). In Uganda, rising malnutrition rates have been documented, while in Lebanon, the potential closure of UNHCR’s health program remains a concern (UNHCR, 2025). Cuts to financial aid and emergency relief have reached 60%, with shelter programs reduced by 40% (UNHCR, 2025). Services related to education, child protection, and gender-based violence have also experienced significant contraction (UNHCR, 2025).

Kenya’s policy landscape has simultaneously undergone reform. The Refugee Act of 2021 and the Shirika Plan represent a strategic shift from encampment toward socio-economic integration for the country’s estimated 800,000 refugees (Ministry of Interior, 2019). The Shirika Plan, valued at approximately $943 million, aims to facilitate legal inclusion, economic empowerment, and climate resilience (Jackson Okata, 2025). However, implementation has been hindered by macroeconomic instability and reductions in foreign aid, particularly from the United States, which previously funded over 70% of refugee food assistance in Kenya ( Dominic Wabwireh, 2025).

These funding constraints have led to diminished food rations, disrupted education services, and strained healthcare infrastructure in camps such as Kakuma and Dadaab (Mahmoud Chahrour, 2025). Observers have noted rising unrest, with reports of protests following the introduction of the World Food Programme’s “differentiated assistance” model (Sammy Lutta, 2025). This system prioritises vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and individuals with disabilities while reducing aid by up to 80% for those deemed partially self-reliant (World Food Programme & Relief World, 2025). The resulting tensions have led to fatalities, injuries, and property damage, including the burning of a WFP food station (Al Jazeera, 2025). Recent academic research has confirmed the adverse effects of aid reductions. A joint Oxford Antwerp study found that previous funding cuts were associated with increased hunger, psychological distress, and economic instability among refugee populations (Olivier Sterck & Vittorio Bruni, 2025). These findings suggest that while integration policies offer long-term potential, they remain contingent on sustained international support.

 

The crisis unfolding in Kakuma refugee camp is emblematic of a broader unravelling of global refugee support systems, where chronic underfunding collides with ambitious integration agendas. Kakuma’s transformation from a temporary shelter to a vibrant urban hub has long stood as a testament to the potential of refugee-led development, bolstered by Kenya’s progressive policies and international investment (Maina, 2025). Yet, recent aid cuts, particularly from the United States, have forced the suspension of food rations, cash assistance, and education programs, threatening to dismantle this fragile ecosystem and igniting unrest (Chahrour, 2025).

The juxtaposition of Kakuma’s entrepreneurial spirit and the current humanitarian regression reveals a harsh contradiction. While refugees have demonstrated resilience and self-reliance, they remain tethered to external support systems that are now failing them (Maina, 2025). The Shirika Plan and Kenya’s Refugee Act 2021 offer a blueprint for durable solutions, aiming to transition from encampment to integrated settlements with legal rights to work, move, and own property (Okata, 2025). However, without sustained donor engagement, these reforms risk becoming aspirational rather than actionable.

This moment demands more than reactive humanitarianism it calls for a recommitment to shared responsibility, as outlined in the Global Compact on Refugees, which affirms that sustainable solutions require equitable international cooperation and support for host countries (UNHCR, 2018). Governments and development actors must urgently restore funding, recalibrate aid mechanisms to avoid punitive models like “differentiated assistance,” and reinforce Kenya’s leadership in refugee inclusion (Maina, 2025). Failure to act will not only deepen suffering in Kakuma and similar camps but also jeopardise regional stability and global credibility in upholding refugee rights. Kakuma’s story is not just one of crisis; it is a warning and a call to action. The international community must choose whether to preserve a model of hope or allow it to collapse under the weight of neglect.

 

References

Dominic Wabwireh. (2025, July 18). The ripple effect of Trump's budget cuts on refugee camps in Kenya. Retrieved from Africa News: https://www.africanews.com/2025/07/18/the-ripple-effect-of-trumps-budget-cuts-on-refugee-camps-in-kenya/

AECF. (2024). Kakuma Kalobeyei Challenge Fund (KKCF). Retrieved from AECF: https://www.aecfafrica.org/approach/our-programmes/crosscutting-themes/kakuma-kalobeyei-challenge-fund-kkcf/

Aljazeera. ( 2025, Aug 11 ). Refugees in Kenya impacted by food aid cuts; WFP rolls out new system. Retrieved from Al Jazeera: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/11/refugees-in-kenya-impacted-by-food-aid-cuts-wfp-rolls-out-new-system

International Finance Corporation. (2018, April 06). Kakuma as a Marketplace. Retrieved from International Finance Corporation: https://www.ifc.org/content/dam/ifc/doc/mgrt-pub/20180427-kakuma-as-a-marketplace-v1.pdf

Jackson Okata. (2025, July 21). Kenya’s flagship refugee integration plan runs into local opposition. Retrieved from The New Humanitarian: https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/analysis/2025/07/21/kenyas-flagship-refugee-integration-plan-runs-local-opposition

Joseph Maina. (2025, August 7 ). Refugee entrepreneurs in Kenya’s Kakuma camp struggle to survive aid cuts. Retrieved from The New Humanitarian: https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news-feature/2025/08/07/refugee-entrepreneurs-kenya-kakuma-camp-struggle-aid-cuts

Mahmoud Chahrour. (2025, July 24). Advocacy group calls for sustained support as Kenya refugee reforms face funding hurdles. Retrieved from Jurist News: https://www.jurist.org/news/2025/07/advocacy-group-calls-for-sustained-support-as-kenya-refugee-reforms-face-funding-hurdles/

MINISTRY OF INTERIOR. ( 2019). PROGRESS REPORT ON THE GLOBAL REFUGEE FORUM PLEDGES. Retrieved from MINISTRY OF INTERIOR: https://refugee.go.ke/sites/default/files/2025-04/GRF%20Kenya%20progress%20report_final%20draft%20report_%20V8.pdf

Olivier Sterck & Vittorio Bruni. (2025, May 27). The Welfare and General-Equilibrium Impacts of Aid Cuts. Retrieved from SSRN: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5270846

Opec Fund. (2018, October 31). “We call it a camp, but it’s really a city”. Retrieved from Opec Fund: https://opecfund.org/news/we-call-it-a-camp-but-it-s-really-a-city

Sammy Lutta. (2025, July 30). WFP food store torched as refugees clash near Kakuma. Retrieved from Daily Nation: https://nation.africa/kenya/counties/turkana/wfp-food-store-torched-as-refugees-clash-near-kakuma--5136574?utm_source=chatgpt.com&__cf_chl_tk=Agwz2z6arejKSMuDah4OeyRGbybH7W98GA_oaQbzvgY-1755439660-1.0.1.1-HUGBSUkYxtbvfNrqhWogcD6J8wyM_hBOIWiQsgn7Hko

TED Talks. (2018, June 09). TEDxKakumaCamp. Retrieved from TED Talks: https://www.ted.com/tedx/events/21032

The New Humanitarian. (2025, May 23). Dadaab Voices: What aid cuts mean for Kenya’s refugees. Retrieved from The New Humanitarian: https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news-feature/2025/05/23/dadaab-voices-what-aid-cuts-mean-kenyas-refugees

Theresa Beltramo and Utz Pape. (2021, Apr 19). After three decades, how are refugees in Kenya’s Kakuma refugee camp faring? Retrieved from UNHCR: https://www.unhcr.org/blogs/after-three-decades-how-are-refugees-in-kenyas-kakuma-refugee-camp-faring/

UNHCR & UNOG. (2025, 07 18). Funding cuts impact on aid access - UNHCR Dominique Hyde. Retrieved from United Nations: https://www.unognewsroom.org/story/en/2732/unhcr-dominique-hyde-highlights-18jul2025/0

UNHCR. (2018, December 17 ). The Global Compact on Refugees. Retrieved from UNHCR: https://www.unhcr.org/about-unhcr/overview/global-compact-refugees

UNHCR. (2025, July). ON THE BRINK: The devastating toll. Retrieved from UNHCR: https://www.unhcr.org/sites/default/files/2025-07/unhcr-on-the-brink-report-july-2025.pdf

UNHCR. (2025). UNHCR: As funding cuts bite, some 11m people are losing aid. Retrieved from UNHCR: https://www.unhcr.org/us/news/briefing-notes/unhcr-funding-cuts-bite-some-11m-people-are-losing-aid

UNHCR United Kingdom. (2025, March 20). Statement on the impact of global aid cuts on refugees by UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. Retrieved from UNHCR United Kingdom: https://www.unrefugees.org.uk/media-centre/statement-on-global-aid-cuts-by-filippo-grandi/

World Food Programme & Relief World. (2025, Mar 31 ). WFP Kenya Country Brief, March 2025. Retrieved from Relief World: https://reliefweb.int/report/kenya/wfp-kenya-country-brief-march-2025

Yvonne Ndege. (2018, May 4 ). Study finds refugee businesses play vital role in local economy. Retrieved from UNHCR: https://www.unhcr.org/asia/news/stories/study-finds-refugee-businesses-play-vital-role-local-economy

 

 

 

 

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