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.