Category: Impact Stories

Manaliyo Deniza’s day starts early in the morning when she opens the heavy metal doors to her shop, located at Kalobeyei settlement in Kakuma refugee camp. After documenting the opening stock and placing new orders with the assistance of one of her employees, Deniza attends to customers and sorts out their purchases. 

Deniza came from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2011 and was processed and settled in Hong Kong before being moved to the Kalobeyei settlement. She set up the Maendeleo shop, built from colored, worn-out corrugated iron sheets.  

Deniza sells everyday essentials like food, toiletries, and other household items. Before venturing into business, she worked as a casual laborer at several construction sites to support her family, but the daily wage was too little to meet her needs.  

“Niliacha kufanya kazi ya mjengo na nikaingia kwa biashara ya kutembeza kitunguu na cabbages na nikafaulu kuweka pesa kidogo ya kukodisha duka ambapo nilianza kuuza bidhaa kadhaa (I quit my job at construction sites to hawk onions and cabbages from door to door. This enabled me to save enough money to rent a small shop where I started selling assorted products),” she says. 

 

Deniza desired to establish herself as a leading entrepreneur in the community, offering a variety of goods to locals, refugees, and the host community. However, realizing this dream was not possible as she lacked capital and business management skills.  

Her breakthrough, however, came four years ago when she was introduced to the Kakuma Kalobeyei Challenge Fund (KKCF). Although Deniza was among the first refugee traders to seek a grant from the fund, her hopes were dashed after her application was set aside because it failed to meet the requirements.  

However, she succeeded on the second trial after undergoing a seven-week accelerator program that equipped her with, among other skills, the knowledge and skills to draw a business plan and a concept note for the grant.  

“Nilipigiwa simu niende kwa ofisi na nikaambiwa nimechaguliwa miongoni wa wafanyibiashara wenye watapewa mafunzo jinsi ya kufanya business plans, kuweka records za biashara na vile tunavyo fanya marketing na kufanya hesabu ya bei ya vitu na expenses ndio tueze kupata faida kwa kuuza (I received a phone call asking me to go for a meeting at the office where they informed me that I was among the applicants who will attend a seven-week training on business management, marketing, and branding and how to cost our products after calculating cost of the goods and expenses so that we get profits),” she says. 

Through the grant, Deniza rented a more spacious shop and brought in various goods, which she also sold to other traders at wholesale prices. The training has helped Deniza run a successful business, making enough money to save for future expansion and meet family needs.  She currently employs six people – five refugees and one from the host community. “Wakimbizi wako na changamoto mengi na wale wenye hawana kazi unapata wanaingia kwa mienendo mabaya kwa uwizi na ndio maana najitahidi kuwapatia ndio wawena nguvu ya nkusaidia familia zao kazi (Refugees have a lot of challenges and some of those with no jobs end up engaging in many vices including crime. I always work hard to create jobs to empower them so that they can provide for their families,” she narrates.  

Deniza’s story is a testament to the resilience and entrepreneurial spirit of the refugee population. Many of them have defied the odds stacked against them by starting thriving small-scale businesses to tap the US $56 million economy at the Kakuma camp to generate income and meet their needs.  

Under KKCF’s Local Enterprise Development (LED) window, the program focuses on local businesses that have the potential to create employment within the refugee and host communities and impact the economy. 

“When you look at the refugees and the host community, you find that most of the businesses they operate are micro and small scale, and the owners have very little or no business management skills to succeed. What this meant is that we needed to support them to acquire the necessary skills and provide them with a grant to boost their businesses,” says Brian Murithi, KKCF Program Manager, adding that this approach has created much impact and led to the economic integration of the refugees and host community.  

Because of Deniza’s business success and contribution to the local economy, she has earned a special place among her peers within the refugees and host community. She sits on several development committees and is always invited to meetings where the welfare of the community is discussed. 

She wants to upgrade into a self-service store like a supermarket to better serve the community by offering a variety of products at low costs and employing more people, especially women. “When you give a woman a job, you empower the whole community as they are the ones who have huge responsibilities within the families,” she says. Currently, she employs two women. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The roar and hum of motorcycles can be heard as one approach Mama Robi Spares and Auto Garage in Kakuma town. 

 The garage is a beehive of activities. The rhythmic clang of wrenches, ratchets, and sockets as mechanics tighten or loosen bolts is constantly interrupted by the high-pitched screech of angle grinders or the buzzing of saws shaping parts.  

At the shop, William Moru Pera stocks spare parts for all motorcycle models, from Honda to TVS, Boxers, and even sports motorbikes. Motorcycles are the popular means of transportation in Kakuma, given their flexibility and ability to navigate the rough terrain that defines roads in Turkana County. This has provided job opportunities for youths who use them to ferry passengers.  

For William, many motorcycles in the town were an opportunity to open a spare parts business. He started with a makeshift stall, but with the support of Kakuma Kalobeyei Challenge Fund (KKCF), he moved into an expansive premise, making it a one-stop shop for all spare parts.  

As an ethnic Turkana, William says that, like other members of the community, business was not his preferred form of livelihood. The influx of many tribes into the region has, however, encouraged many of them to try their hands at various businesses as they learn from the enterprising immigrants. 

“I decided to venture into the spare parts business after noticing many motorcycles in the town, but mechanics had to travel to Lodwar to buy spare parts. I knew it would earn me good money if I brought the spares closer where they can readily get them,” says William. 

William is earning big, especially with his apprenticeship business model. He trains youths to work alongside seasoned mechanics to repair motorcycles with spare parts from his shop. Whenever a client brings a bike for repair, William provides the spares to these mechanics on credit, and they pay later after completing the repairs.  

At Mama Robi, various mechanical tools are also leased at agreed-upon costs. At the garage, William has mechanics from the refugee and host communities, many of whom started as apprentices.  

“I am now well established in a spacious location where customers can easily identify the spares they need. Thanks to support from KKCF, mechanics who used to go to other towns for spares can now get everything here,” he says. 

William did not qualify for the grant when he made the first application. But as he says, KKCF was kind enough to consider him for the accelerator program, where he was trained in business plan development, financial management, and bookkeeping, among other business management skills. 

According to the KKCF Program Manager, Brian Murithi, the accelerator program was introduced after realizing that the quality of proposals submitted by entrepreneurs was substandard, disqualifying most of them. 

 “Instead of dismissing them, we trained them on business management, financial literacy, marketing and promotions, and bookkeeping. They were then given a chance to rewrite the concepts, which is how many succeeded in the second application,” says Brian. 

Ramadhan Lumumba, a Congolese national living in Kakuma, works at the garage as a mechanic, providing him a livelihood and endearing him to the host community. “We do our best to bring customers here so that the shop owner can sell spares, and we earn some money from fixing the motorcycles, which has helped us meet our family needs,” he says, adding: “We have a very cordial working relationship here. We interact freely and perceive each other as brothers, not as a refugee or host community.”  

One of the goals of the KKCF programme is to enhance the integration of the refugees and host communities for the sustainable development of the region. AECF’s Head of Agribusiness, Fred Kiio, says the program has helped minimize tension between the refugees and host communities since they have realized the need for cooperation for their businesses to thrive.  

“The host community initially perceived the refugees as trouble, but over time, they have integrated. It was essential to bring all of them together to have a common vision and to understand what the program established to promote sustainable development in the area,” says Kiio. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the height of COVID-19 in 2020, Isiah Mutua decided to drive from Nairobi to Kakuma to escape the government’s stringent lockdown measures to contain the spread of the pandemic.  

Unlike the densely populated Nairobi, where the measures were implemented to the letter, there was relative freedom in Kakuma town. Kakuma is a rural settlement in northwestern Kenya within Turkana County, characterized by its arid and semi-arid environment and large swathes of open land.  

A stay in the town, which hosts one of the largest refugee camps in the world, would provide Mutua with a serene environment, beautiful scenery, and unfettered movement, ideal for someone looking for a holiday escape. 

However, the vacation offered the young entrepreneur, who first visited the town in 2018, an opportunity to pilot a clean energy project. He gave birth to the idea of a water business that would eventually grow into a multi-million company, quenching the thirst of hundreds of Kakuma residents every day.  

“When I returned to Kakuma at the height of the pandemic, I noticed the company supplying bottled water during my first visit had left the market. In 2018, we consumed 3 to 4 liters of water daily. I saw an opportunity to start a water business,” says Mutua. In 2021, he began the groundwork, conducted research, and went through the licensing processes, and before the end of the year, Lifta, a beverages manufacturing company, was operational.  

Kakuma hosts about 300,000 refugees from various nationalities, particularly South Sudanese, Somalis, Congolese, Kenyans, and foreign nationals working with agencies or running businesses. This offers a massive opportunity for a water-selling business. 

Seasonal rivers and deep wells drilled to access underground water, often saline, are the primary sources. However, the water is not treated, exposing locals to waterborne diseases like diarrhea. The local groundwater requires significant treatment to meet World Health Organisation (WHO) standards.  

“Sometimes chlorinated water was being distributed, but it wasn’t adequately treated for safe drinking. We decided to install reverse osmosis equipment, which is expensive but ensures that our water meets safety standards. Every bottle we produce is safe and high-quality,” explains Mutua.  

Lifta’s mission is to provide quality, affordable food and beverage products to northern Kenya, starting with water, and it is looking to expand into carbonated beverages and other products in the future.  

This mission aligns with the Kakuma Kalobeyei Challenge Fund’s (KKCF) ambition to support businesses actively serving communities within the refugee context.  

 

Through a partial grant fund, Lifta imported machinery for a water-filling line.  Acquiring the equipment locally would have cost about $350,000 (40 million Kenyan shillings), but thanks to the fund’s support, they imported it at a lower cost. 

Lifta has also secured an additional grant from KKCF through the Private Sector Window to procure a 20-liter bottle-blowing machine, which will enable them to offer affordable refillable water options. The machine will reduce the cost of one liter of water from Ksh50 to about Ksh10, making safe drinking water accessible to more people in the area.  

According to the KKCF Program Manager, Brian Murithi, the five-year project’s goal was to identify and support the private sector by making its services and products available within the Kakuma market.  

Many investors are discouraged from setting up businesses in Kakuma due to poor infrastructure and lack of access to finance. This makes goods and services very expensive because of the costs involved in accessing them from far away. Yet a study by the International Finance Corporations (IFC), dubbed Kakuma as a Marketplace in 2018, shows that Kakuma has a very vibrant economy that is not well exploited.  

“Many of the businesses operating in the area lacked technical capacity and financial support, and it was realized that if living the conditions for the host and refugee communities were to be improved, then a private sector kind of model was required to support the businesses that were already operating there, and scale them up to a level of self-sustainability,” says Brian.  

Lifta has impacted the refugees and host communities, especially women and the youth, through job creation and economic empowerment, and it currently has 57 employees. “We have hired many women, including refugees and host community members. Seven of the ten key distributors for our 20-litre bottles are women-owned shops. We also plan to install vending machines in these shops to support their businesses and improve their socio-economic status,” explains Mutua.  

At the Kalobeyei Settlement, Kumala Muktar, who fled the war in Somalia, is one of the distributors ensuring the locals have access to clean drinking water. Muktar was first hosted at the Dadaab refugee camp when he arrived in Kenya in 2007 before being transferred to Kakuma.  

When he arrived at Kalobeyei, access to clean drinking water was a huge challenge, and residents would travel across the town in search of the commodity. “Getting clean and safe drinking water was not easy, but since Lifta began supplying bottled water, we rarely see outbreaks of waterborne diseases, unlike before,” says Muktar.  

 

To address environmental concerns related to plastic waste, the company procured a plastic recycling machine, also funded by KKCF. For every bottle it distributes, it targets collecting two, which are crushed and recycled to minimize environmental impact. 

All their employees undergo a rigorous training session before onboarding. The training includes education on their rights and responsibilities and a zero-tolerance policy toward gender-based violence. 

KKCF provided funds to help install the company’s water treatment and bottling plant and business development support. The support included training in business management, recordkeeping, community engagement, and compliance with ESG standards. Mutua says five team members attended these sessions, enabling them to implement better systems and manage the business remotely while maintaining efficiency.  

In the next two to three years, Lifta looks to expand its product line, enhance production capacity, and increase community engagement. “KKCF has already provided immense support, but additional assistance in scaling production and accessing new markets would help us achieve our vision,” concludes Mutua. 

 

When Kika Ngakani fled the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and came to Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya’s Turkana County in 2016, she was expecting a better life.  

The frequent sound of gunshots, gory scenes of people maimed by the war, frightened women and children scampering to safety, and smoke billowing from burning houses were all behind her. However, shortly after settling in the Kalobeyei settlement in Kakuma, the harsh reality of life as a refugee in a foreign land struck the mother of six. 

The Ksh1,600 monthly allowance called “Bamba Chakula,” typically used to cover the cost of basic food supplies, was not sufficient to cover all her needs, so Kika had to go on a job hunt, hoping to earn a wage to provide for her family.  

However, her efforts to get employment were futile due to the language barrier. She could only speak French, which is the official language in her native country, while all potential employers wanted an individual who could communicate in English.  

Without options, she decided to try her hand at farming despite having no prior experience. Luckily, the United Nations Food for Agriculture Organisation and the World Food Programme (WFP) were conducting a community training program on farming, which she enrolled in. Part of the training included a small parcel of farming land within the refugee settlement, and Kika set up a vegetable garden. 

“I initially grew millet, but the crop did not do well, and we switched to vegetables after WFP constructed a water pan and provided us with greenhouses,” says Kika.  

She saw a huge income-generating opportunity in vegetable farming, as vegetables were not readily available in the area. Local shops only stocked dry food items. 

For Kika, vegetable farming paid off due to the readily available market. She saved some money to acquire additional parcels of land, but her plans to expand production were met by another hurdle—access to credit to prepare the land and buy farm inputs.  

Like other refugees, she didn’t have an identification document to register with financial institutions. Additionally, getting a loan from such institutions required collateral, which she did not have. The informal lenders whom she occasionally engaged for short loans charged exorbitant interests.  

Fortunately for Kika, a window of opportunity flung open after she learned about the Kenya Bankers Sacco (KBS) from a relative. “It was a surprise when I visited KBS offices in Kakuma town, and they enrolled me for the Jijenge Jiinua product with my manifest card. Since I was already earning regular income from the farm, I only saved for two months to qualify for a Ksh100,000 loan,” she explains with a broad smile. Through KBS, Kika has boosted her farming activities, earning enough to provide for her family and save for future projects.  

She is all praise for KBS, saying: “Wanawake wengi hapa kambini wanategemea mabwana zao kushughulikia kila mahitaji ya familia lakini kwangu hakuna kitu kama hiyo. Niko na akaunti zangu binafsi na hizo mkopo zimenisaidia kuwekelea kwa mradi mbali mbali zinazonipatia faida (Many women within the camp are relying on their husbands to provide every family need, but that is not the case for me. I have my savings accounts, and the loans I access have helped me invest in the farm and other income-generation projects”.  

KBS is a deposit-taking Sacco initially founded to cater to the needs of employees of small financial institutions but later opened to the public. It began its operations in Kakuma following a grant from the Kakuma Kalobeyei Challenge Fund (KKCF). In Kakuma, the institution focuses on the unbanked population, especially refugees, who have been excluded by mainstream financial institutions due to a lack of documentation and collateral.  

According to a study by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) published in 2018, refugees own various shops, from open stalls to large wholesalers, but still face the challenge of limited access to credit, movement, and low financial literacy.  

The refugees do not have the right to own property. This has practical implications, as a refugee business may not own the land it sits on or the fixed assets it has invested in. Additionally, banks are hesitant to provide credit to individuals or companies, as a lack of ownership means they lack collateral. Most refugees save at home or through a tontine, with the study findings suggesting that while those in the town save for positive outcomes, those in the camp do it as a coping strategy.  

Mabel Auka, the Head of business development at KBS says the thriving economy in Kakuma and the high number of unbanked individuals offered a massive opportunity for financial services in the region. At the time, the Government had also rolled out a strategy dubbed the Shirika Plan to integrate refugees into society. Part of the plan entailed financial inclusion to empower them.  

“When we did our research, we realized limited financial institutions or saccos were offering financial inclusion to the larger Turkana community, so we decided to bring our services closer to the people without discrimination,” says Auka. 

KBS allows refugees to register for services with their manifest cards as a form of identification, enabling them to enjoy the benefits of a secure savings platform and access to loan facilities. Aside from funding, KKCF introduced KBS to the county government and the Department of Refugee Services, which allowed them access to the camp. KBS also received technical assistance in the form of training to help it better understand the market.  

 

“While we had an idea of what we wanted to sell, it was difficult to sell a product that did not meet the market’s needs. KKFC helped to customize our products and services to the needs of our members,” explains Auka. The training also focused on compliance and reporting processes. Many youths have difficulty accessing employment opportunities and credit to engage in income-generating projects, yet they have great business ideas. KBS has been meeting them during our awareness and education sessions to understand and identify their unique needs. The institution has also launched specific products targeting women in small and medium-scale enterprises, chamas, and self-help groups. They have received training in financial literacy and business management, including bookkeeping and saving and investing wisely.  

In Kakuma, cultural barriers discriminate against women’s economic empowerment. Culture dictates that while women bring resources, men determine how they are used.  

“To avoid conflict between the two and concerning cultural norms, we train the women and encourage them to pass down the information to their spouses so that they both benefit from our services,” explains Auka.  

Between January and October 2024, KBS lent over Ksh90m to about 3000 members, exceeding its target. Auka discloses that it plans to serve the larger Turkana and Northern Kenya communities that are underserved by formal banking institutions.  

“We are adopting the agency banking model and will have agents in Kakuma town and Kalobeyei. We will recruit 17 agents to expand our services and net more people,” she says.  

 

Nancy Karambu Riungu, 52, ran a successful tailoring and fashion design business in Kakuma town in Turkana, northwest Kenya, before two tragedies hit almost simultaneously.  

The first was COVID-19, which forced businesses to downscale their operations due to restrictive measures implemented by the government to contain the global pandemic. The second was the demolition of a road reserve to pave the way for the expansion of the Lodwar—Kakuma highway.  

Nancy’s Nemlon Enterprises Ltd was among the many premises affected, casting a dark shadow on the future of the six employees and 38 students who considered it home.  

“It was a terrible experience. Everyone was crying; the students cried as they left. Businesses were scrambling for spaces to relocate, but I had no money to rent an alternative place to continue with the business,” Nancy narrates.  

Then, in a classical illustration of the metaphor “the brightest star shines at the darkest hour of the night,” an unexpected call came. It was from the Kakuma Kalobeyei Challenge Fund (KKCF), announcing a grant for the expansion of Nemlon.  

Nancy first heard of KKCF from a friend. However, when she received information from one of the KKCF field officers, she decided to apply for the funding opportunity.  

“You could see the excitement in the faces of students and employees when I gathered them to break the news. We didn’t even look for a car to transport the luggage. We carried everything, including the sewing machines, on our heads to the new building,” says Nancy.  

With the grant, Nancy bought electrical sewing machines, which improved business efficiency and reduced the turnaround time in the delivery of tenders. Nemlon can handle several tenders simultaneously, some involving the production of over 5,000 pieces.  

“We also purchased more fabric and a machine that enables us to design logos and do branding. Before, we would take our consignments to Nairobi for branding, taking up much time and incurring huge transport costs,” she discloses, adding that more students have been absorbed in training.  

A practicing nurse, Nancy decided to pursue her mother’s tailoring and dressmaking career part-time after realizing the huge opportunity for designer clothes in Kakuma.  

The support from KKCF has catapulted Nemlon from a small business founded in 2014 to a household fashion designer and training institute with an extensive distribution network across the region. The business is driving development and impacting lives in Kakuma through job creation and economic empowerment for refugees and host communities.  

Nemlon employs between 20 and 70 people from both refugees and the host community, depending on order availability. When the orders are large, they work in two shifts: day and night. 

Driven by the desire to excel in whatever she does, Nancy has provided many women an opportunity to earn livelihoods by training them in tailoring and dressmaking. “The people who put a smile on my face are the many Turkana women who come here when they don’t even know how to read and write, but with the support of translators, they can learn and acquire skills which they use to start their businesses after graduating,” says Nancy.  

To accommodate a complex mix of students, Nancy has introduced a unique training model dubbed “Learn and Earn.” The model allows students from less fortunate backgrounds to train while getting paid for their services to Nemlon and its sister company, Nakosi, a restaurant.  

“We introduced repairs so that students who have acquired some level of skills can work and share the proceeds with the business while those at advanced levels or have duly completed the training are allowed to keep everything,” she explains, adding that there are also employees from the restaurant who have enrolled in training during their free time.  

Faida Ishara is a student in the “learn and earn” program. A Congolese, she joined the program after her monthly allowances as a refugee were suspended for four months.  

With the money from Nemlon, she can support her family, which she says cannot meet its needs from the allowances meant to cater for food supplies. “Yale napata hapa kidogo inasaidia sana kwa kulishafamilia yangu. Naeza pia kutimiza mahitaji yangu ya kibinafsi kama kununua mavazi (the little I get from here helps a lot to buy food for the family. I am also able to take care of my personal needs like clothing),” says Faida. 

Mugaragu Rodger, 23, also from DRC, had prior training in tailoring and fashion design but honed his skills at Nemlon before being employed as an instructor. 

Apart from earning a monthly salary to support his young family, Nemlon has given Rodger the opportunity to interact with the host community. His interactions were limited to fellow refugees at the camp, but Nemlon has given him exposure, enabling him to better understand the area.  

“Here, we work as a team and support each other in delivering given tasks irrespective of our nationalities and social backgrounds. When the orders come in, we work on them together and share a lot, and this has made us bond as a family,” he says. 

Nemlon is one of the businesses supported by KKCF under the Local Enterprise Development (LED), which targets small-scale entrepreneurs in Kakuma.  

Brian Murithi, the KKCF Program Manager, says businesses are critical for integrating the refugee and host communities and achieving sustainable development because they understand the market dynamics.  

“These businesses are focused and well established. They lack capital and technical skills to run their operations efficiently; therefore, supporting them will certainly translate to impact since they will continue providing their services on a larger scale,” says Brian. 

The sky remains the limit for Nancy, and she has already set her eyes on making Nemlon Enterprises a fully-fledged vocational training institute. With additional support, Nancy hopes to provide opportunities for the youth in Kakuma, many of whom dropped out of school or completed secondary level but cannot pursue diploma or degree courses.  

It is 9:00 a.m. in Kakuma town, and the rising sun transforms the morning warmth into a relentless heat. The back gate swings open at Gateway Diagnostics and Health Centre as an ambulance pulls into the compound. More than ten passengers step out, having traveled from the most remote villages of the Kakuma refugee camp. Among them is 21-year-old Akoi Makuei Awai, holding her younger brother’s hand as he limps toward the casualty bay. He was injured while playing football, and without the ambulance service, they would have faced a two-hour journey on a boda boda (motorcycle), costing Ksh 500—an amount that is unaffordable for many refugees who rely on a monthly stipend of Ksh 1,600 for food and other essentials. Akoi and others received transport to the hospital at no cost, thanks to the ambulance service. 

Access to healthcare for refugees in Kakuma remains critical yet challenging due to limited resources, inadequate infrastructure, and a rapidly growing population. Many are forced to seek care from private facilities outside the camp. The road to Kakuma is characterized by potholes, loose gravel, and uneven surfaces that slow travel. When it rains, it becomes waterlogged and muddy, making movement even more difficult. 

“Before the ambulance service, transportation was a major problem, especially for those far from the hospital. We had to rely on motorbikes, even in emergencies. Finding one was time-consuming, and the costs were too high,” recalls Akoi. 

Her first visit to the hospital was at night when she fell seriously ill. Having obtained contact information from a family friend, her parents called Gateway for help. Within minutes, the ambulance arrived, and she was transported free of charge. The ambulance is equipped with basic life support systems—crucial for handling emergencies such as strokes or fractures before reaching more extensive medical facilities. 

This life-saving service is part of the support Gateway received from the Kakuma Kalobeyei Challenge Fund (KKCF) to improve healthcare in the region. With KKCF’s grant, the hospital has significantly expanded its capacity. It has installed critical medical equipment, including a CT scan, biochemical analyzers, and a surveillance system, and has established a fully equipped dental clinic. The funding has also enabled the expansion of the pharmacy and laboratory, ensuring a consistent supply of essential drugs from Nairobi. Additionally, KKCF’s support allowed the hospital to recruit skilled technicians to maintain the equipment and provide specialized services. 

Gateway’s CEO, Abdifatah Ahmed Boruka, highlights the transformative impact of these upgrades. “Before we established the dental clinic three years ago, patients had to travel to Eldoret or Kitale for procedures such as root canals, braces, and cavity treatments. These services are now available right here in Kakuma. Similarly, our CT scan has been crucial in diagnosing internal conditions early, reducing the need for costly referrals outside town.”  

“These improvements have enhanced our ability to meet the medical needs of the refugee and host community effectively,” says Ahmed, adding, “We are also expanding maternity and pediatric services because of the high maternal and child health needs in Kakuma.” Once the maternity wing is operational, Gateway plans to offer discounts to clients who cannot afford the full cost.   

Gateway Board Chair Hussein Abdi recalls how the hospital started in a single room with one staff member in 2018. Today, it serves around 300,000 people, about half the population of Wyoming, from the refugee and host communities, 60% of whom are regular patients. 

“We have prioritized corporate social responsibility in our operations, always providing free medical clinics to the community during international days like the International Day of Peace and the 16 Days of Activism. We also provide ambulance support and free treatment for vulnerable groups,” says Abdi.  

Gateway was Funded under KKCF’s Local Enterprise Development Window; the initiative exemplifies how private sector investment can drive sustainable change in fragile contexts. Fred Kiio, AECF’s Head of Agribusiness, notes, “We designed this program to harness private sector engagement, creating employment and improving services for refugees and host communities. So far, we have facilitated access to better services for over 220,000 people and generated over 700 employment opportunities.”  

 

After driving through the muddy and waterlogged roads, we branch off to a narrow street with sewage streams flowing sideways to get to the Hong Kong market, which is tucked deep inside the Kakuma refugee camp. Named for its vibrant economic activity, the market mirrors the dynamism of Hong Kong – a global trade hub in China. 

Among the traders weaving through the market’s makeshift stalls and small iron-sheet shops is Beatrice Nyembo, a 50-year-old Congolese refugee. With a warm smile, she welcomes us into her shop, displaying an assortment of general merchandise on the shelves. At one of the corners, a weighing machine sits notably on a table close to a large, white, rectangular, deep freezer, a crucial asset that has revolutionized her fish business. 

Beatrice arrived in Kakuma in 2011, fleeing civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Struggling to earn a living beyond the food rations provided by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), she turned to what she knew best—fish trading. Given Kakuma’s proximity to Lake Turkana, she expected a steady supply of fresh fish. However, her business faced significant hurdles, including inconsistent deliveries and spoilage due to high temperatures ranging between 30°C and 40°C.  

“We would get fish from Kalokol, but if we didn’t sell it all the same day, it would spoil, leading to huge losses. Deep frying was an alternative, but the cost of fuel and cooking oil made it unsustainable,” she recalls. 

Despite high demand, many traders abandoned fresh fish sales, opting for dried fish to reduce postharvest losses. Beatrice’s fortunes changed when Migingo Fish Supplies Limited entered the Kakuma market, providing cold storage solutions that transformed the local fish trade. 

Migingo Fish Supplies started as a family business in Kisumu in 2016, initially importing fish for distribution to retail outlets, schools, and hotels. However, after the Kenyan government banned fish imports in 2022, the company pivoted, sourcing fish from Lake Turkana. Recognizing the market gap in Kakuma, Migingo set up operations to stabilize supply chains and reduce losses. 

George Okeyo, the proprietor of Migingo Fish Supplies Ltd, notes that it didn’t take long for the company to realize the enormous opportunity for fish trade in Kakuma, prompting a change in their business strategy. When we started importing fish from Lake Turkana, we realized the inconsistent supply of fish within Kakuma. Fish would be transported from the lake, and traders would queue to get their stock,” explains Okeyo. In some cases, the traders would pay intermediaries in advance to avoid missing their supply for the day, discouraging many from doing business. Migingo‘s entry into the Kakuma market was meant to cash in on the high demand by setting up a processing plant in the town to ensure regular supply. With support from the Kakuma Kalobeyei Challenge Fund (KKCF), Migingo established ice processing machines in Lodwar, procured fish-holding containers, set up cold storage facilities in Kakuma and Kalobeyei, and acquired refrigerated trucks for efficient distribution. This investment has had an impact by creating jobs and improving the livelihoods of local families. Migingo employs 26 people, a third of whom are refugees, who work in fish handling, business development, and machine operations. “You hardly lack supplies, and we have assured the traders that they can get fish from us any time, every day of the week. This has encouraged many who had quit the trade to resume,” says Okeyo. Through training and improved storage, the company has cut waste from 100kg per 200kg supply to just 5kg, or none. 

The fund has also offered business development support to suppliers and traders. Beatrice, one of Migingo’s key distributors in the Hong Kong market, received training in business development, financial management, and cost calculation. “I now understand how to price my products by considering all costs. This knowledge has significantly improved my business,” she says, adding that the training has also helped her cultivate a culture of saving. 

Beyond direct beneficiaries like Beatrice, Migingo has strengthened partnerships with local Beach Management Units (BMUs) around Lake Turkana. These community-led groups facilitate sustainable fishing practices, identify landing sites for cold storage, and aggregate fish for bulk sales. Stephen “Fimbo,” chairman of Impressa BMU, highlights how Migingo’s intervention has benefited its 328 members—women and youth engaged in boat building, fish trading, processors, and crew.  

“Before, suppliers transported fish on motorbikes, leading to significant losses. Now, we aggregate the fish and store it in Migingo’s cold storage before transporting it to the company’s plant in Lodwar, ensuring freshness and better pricing,” says Fimbo. With improved infrastructure, suppliers now sell fish at Ksh300 per kilo, up from Ksh180, significantly boosting their income. 

“The BMUs have mobilized their members and sensitized them to understand that our initiative is to help them improve their businesses by providing a market for their fish, training opportunities for business development, and creating jobs for the community,” says Okeyo.  

Migingo Fish Supplies also upholds gender and labor policies, strictly prohibiting child labor and enforcing safeguards against workplace harassment. As part of its growth strategy, the company is expanding its footprint by establishing additional processing plants in Lodwar and Loyangalani, Marsabit County, to tap into Turkana and Marsabit’s fish potential for markets in Kisumu and Mombasa. 

The company has already secured an additional grant from KKCF, which will help to strengthen its infrastructure further and ensure that investments in the refugee and host communities continue to drive sustainable economic growth. 

“Our vision is to improve fish supply chains, create jobs, and enhance economic stability in Kakuma and beyond. Addressing infrastructure challenges and improving landing sites will help us further integrate refugees and local traders into Kenya’s broader economy,” says George Okeyo, the firm’s proprietor. 

Migingo’s journey exemplifies how strategic investments can transform fragile economies, fostering resilience, self-reliance, and sustainable livelihoods for refugees and host communities alike. 

Naomi Nyengai Gateru, 49, and her husband moved to Kakuma town in Turkana County to work for the many aid agencies operating in the area, home to about 300,000 refugees and a host community.  

A few years later, she realized that food, especially fresh produce, was scarce in the area due to Kakuma’s hot and dry climate, which makes farming difficult.   This sparked the idea that she could source vegetables, onions, potatoes, and tomatoes from her home village in central Kenya and sell them in Kakuma at affordable prices. Sourcing the goods was not a challenge since her father, a farmer, would help her source from other suppliers. However, distributing the goods inside the villages of Kakuma proved difficult.  

“Initially, I considered bringing donkeys from Murang’a to pull carts loaded with fresh produce, but they are not allowed in the camp. So, I went to Moyale and bought a camel, which became my identity as I would strap baskets full of cabbages and potatoes across her back and move around the villages,” she explains. 

The camel gave rise to her brand name, Camel Variety. Although she no longer uses the camel for distribution, Camel Variety has since expanded and established itself as a household grocery business, supplying traders and many families with fresh produce.  

Today, Naomi runs a fully stocked shop in the heart of Kakuma town and another at her residence, a few kilometers away, where a 20-foot refrigerated container loaded with potatoes, onions, tomatoes, and cabbage stands.  Traders arrive in hoards to buy stock at wholesale prices for resale in other parts of the town.  

The growth of Naomi’s business can be attributed to the Kakuma Kalobeyei Challenge Fund (KKCF), which, through grant financing, enabled her to buy the refrigerated container and additional capital to expand her venture. However, she notes that sourcing vegetables and groceries remains a challenge due to the substantial capital required by suppliers.  “Many farmers want people who buy in bulk, typically by truckloads. There is a perception that only men have the financial capacity to do this, so as women, we are often overlooked,’ she reveals. 

To overcome these barriers, Naomi now sources her stock from other regions like Marakwet, Trans Nzoia, West Pokot, and central Kenya counties, where agricultural production thrives. “I do a lot of market research to track planting and harvesting seasons, allowing me to buy at lower prices and transport to Kakuma for resale at affordable costs,” she explains. She also expects a deep freezer and additional capital to expand her business. 

According to KKCF program Manager Brian Meme, small-scale businesses like Naomi’s were supported under the Local Enterprises Development (LED) window because they are well-established and understand the local market. “These are businesses that have been operating in the area and understand the needs of the local population. Supporting them ensures a greater impact because they can scale up their existing services,” he says.   

The businesses, however, needed technical assistance to bridge the business skills gap so that they could run more efficiently. When KKCF issued the first call for proposals, over 700 applicants were received, but only 36 were successful. A rapid assessment revealed a significant need for business skills training, leading to the introduction of a seven-week accelerator program. Naomi and other entrepreneurs were trained in business management, financial literacy bookkeeping, and marketing and promotion of their products. 

During a visit to her shop, several employees in Camel Variety-branded blue polo T-shirts were seen distributing flyers to pedestrians. Outside, a young man announced the arrival of fresh produce while two women danced to lively music playing from large wooden speakers. 

Through the training, Naomi has streamlined stock-taking and record-keeping. She has also assigned specific accounting roles to her staff, making operations efficient and rewarding. The support from KKCF has seen an increase in her sales, allowing her to employ more people.  The town shop currently has 15 employees from the host community and four refugees. She plans to expand further by opening another branch in Kakuma 3, which will create additional job opportunities. Naomi says the business has empowered her to meet family needs as she earns enough. “I am determined to give more women an opportunity to serve in the business so that they achieve financial independence. This will also help minimize cases of domestic violence in the community,” she says.  

To further enhance business skills among her team, three of her employees attended a seminar sponsored by the Kenya Chamber of Commerce and Industry, where they learned about gender-based violence and market surveys, among other business-related topics. These employees later trained their colleagues, fostering a culture of respect and collaboration. The three trained their colleagues at the shop. 

Looking ahead, Naomi plans to diversify into other income-generating opportunities underexploited in Kakuma. She is exploring investments in fish and pork farming to meet the growing demand for the products in the area. 

Her journey from a simple idea to a thriving enterprise showcases the resilience and determination of women entrepreneurs in challenging environments. With continued innovation and support, Naomi’s business is set to grow even further, creating lasting economic impact in Kakuma and beyond. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feeding Kakuma’s growing demand for poultry products

A nutritionist by profession, Raphael Ewoi Ekamais previously worked in a hospital before venturing into poultry farming, a business opportunity driven by rising demand for chicken meat and eggs. Raphael has also converted his poultry farm into an excellence center where prospective small–scale farmers are increasingly seeking information and training to equip themselves with the necessary skills to engage in poultry farming and improve their livelihoods commercially.  

The Turkana people have been mainly pastoralists, rearing cattle, goats, and camels as a culture and means of livelihood. Poultry keeping was until recently done by a few members of this community for subsistence. This is changing as more people realize that poultry farming is commercially viable. In a region with limited access to varied dietary options, many residents are gradually embracing poultry products as a substitute for other meat products,’ said Raphael. Much of the poultry products are sourced outside the region from as far as Kitale, 600 km away. This means that accelerated local production would improve the local availability of these products and pricing, benefiting more people in Kakuma.   

Raphael, who lives in Kakuma’s Highlands Settlement Scheme, started by rearing Indigenous chicken on the free range before investing in improved varieties that are less prone to diseases and have a faster growth rate. “My goal is to popularize chicken rearing in the community by training more people and ultimately organizing them into a cooperative society. This will enable them to boost production and cash in from the high demand,” he says, ushering us into his small office – the base of Akumae Enterprises, a poultry business he registered in 2019. 

Thanks to Kakuma Kalobeyei Challenge Fund (KKCF) support, he is now an established poultry farmer mentoring several other poultry farmers from his community. When we arrived at his farm, Raphael had just returned from a training event in Kakuma town, where he was one of the resource personnel providing insights into poultry farming best practices. With the KKCF grant, he bought a flock of 2,000-day-old chicks, agrovet products, and chicken feeds and renovated the chicken coop. ‘My business has now grown to not only serve the initial walk-in customers but also hotels, education institutions, and other poultry farmers eager to learn from my business,’ he reflects when we ask how the business journey has been.  

KKCF provided a grant for his business and business development services through an accelerator program targeting proprietors who had expressed interest in working with KKCF. From the program, he gained insights into sales and marketing, operations, financial management, business planning, and environmental, social, and governance aspects of business operations. ‘The level of business management skills and knowledge among small-scale entrepreneurs in Kakuma is very low, so they are disadvantaged when it comes to access to capital despite having brilliant business ideas,’ said Raphael when asked about the benefits of participating in such programs. “My initial proposal, as was the case for other businesses, was unsuccessful; this changed after joining the seven-week accelerator program,” he recalls. KKCF program manager Brian Meme explains that the accelerator program was introduced after the realization that the intended beneficiaries lacked the key business management skills required to scale their operations and generate the desired impact in the area. “A good number of these micro-entrepreneurs are enterprising, but developing compelling business proposals and meeting the competitive selection criteria is a challenge; the accelerator program was a solution,” says Brian.  

Raphael continues to share that chicken feeds and vaccines are key components of poultry farming that take substantial production costs. He sources most of his input from Kitale. Still, he advises that this soon change, especially regarding chicken feeds, because he has been piloting the production of Azolla and duckweed on his farm with promising results. This will complement the chicken feed that will soon be sourced locally. Azolla and duckweed are high-protein aquatic plants that have gained popularity as sustainable and cost-effective feed options for livestock, poultry, and fish. They grow rapidly with minimal resource requirements that make them particularly suitable for resource-constrained areas like Kakuma. “Azolla and duckweed take two weeks to mature, and I am now incorporating them into poultry diet, which has improved the chickens’ health and growth rate, leading to better production results,” says Raphael, who also sells these feed supplements to other farmers. 

Raphael has trained 210 people, 169 teenagers and young mothers from refugee and host communities. Many trainees have established poultry farms, which have become income-generating projects. Key training areas include poultry infrastructure requirements, including location, ventilation, amenities, lighting, and drainage. He identifies poultry feeding, vaccination, and hygiene components of a successful poultry farm. Quality, as well as sourcing of inputs, is another aspect that he focuses on during his training.  

Jane Ekal, 20, is one of Raphael’s mentees. A mother of one, Ekal dropped out of school in form two and joined Raphael at his farm to learn how to rear chickens as a business.  “I am still determined to return to school, but I have a child to care for. Poultry farming came in handy as I can now feed and clothe my child, support the family, and still save ten percent of my earnings,” says Jane.  

Asked about his future, Raphael says he will expand his business to become a local input supplier of choice and a go-to supplier of poultry products in Kakuma. Raphael’s poultry farming journey is driven by passion and the need to contribute value to his community. By doing so, he plays a role in food security and provides hope and an economic channel to self-reliance to vulnerable groups in Kakuma.