TURKANA – Education challenges, limited economic opportunities and the need to strengthen pathways to self-reliance for young people and families remain among the issues requiring greater attention in Kakuma and Kalobeyei.
The issues were highlighted on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, during a visit by officials from Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Eastern and Southern Africa and JRS Kenya to schools, youth groups and community initiatives in Kakuma. The visit focused on understanding the experiences of communities and the challenges affecting their daily lives.
JRS Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Director Andre Atsu and JRS Kenya Country Director Geoffrey Shikuku visited Vision Secondary School and Blue State Secondary School, where they engaged with students and teachers on learning conditions and some of the challenges that need to be addressed to ensure children continue to access education.
The officials also visited community and youth groups, including GRE Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs, MILES Teen Mothers Group, caregivers involved in vegetable gardening and savings and lending groups.
The activities reflect efforts by community members to find ways of coping with economic and social challenges, with education, skills development and small-scale economic activities providing avenues for young people and families to strengthen their livelihoods.
For some families, activities such as vegetable farming and savings groups have become ways of generating income and meeting everyday needs. However, access to skills, capital and markets remains important for such initiatives to become sustainable.
Speaking during the visit, JRS Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Director Andre Atsu said it was important to assess the changes taking place within communities and use the lessons learned to improve the way services are delivered.
“We need to strengthen impact measurement, documentation and learning from our experiences in order to better understand the changes we are helping to achieve,” Atsu said.
He also encouraged parents and caregivers involved in income-generating activities to explore ways of developing their initiatives and working with other stakeholders to expand economic opportunities.
For communities in Kakuma and Kalobeyei, access to education and livelihood opportunities remains important in building resilience, particularly among young people, parents and families facing income-related challenges.
The visit on August 11 highlighted the need for continued community involvement in identifying challenges and developing solutions, with education, skills development and economic opportunities remaining key areas that can help refugees and host communities respond to the challenges affecting their lives.
Seven months ago, during a visit to Kakuma Refugee Settlement in northern Kenya, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih praised Kenya as a model for refugee protection.
Speaking with refugees, students and entrepreneurs, Salih called for greater international solidarity to find durable solutions for refugees living in prolonged displacement.
“It is simply not right that we have people stuck in camps for years. Their dignity and human rights require the international community to help them develop self-reliance.”
Salih also highlighted the importance of education, recalling his own experience as a refugee and the opportunity he received to study at a refugee school.
