Empowering Communities Through Devolution: FCA Kenya’s Impact at the Devolution Conference
The annual Devolution Conference is a significant event that brings together key stakeholders, policymakers, practitioners, and communities to deliberate on matters of local governance, development, and empowerment. FCA Kenya was proud to be part of this year’s conference, which took place from August 15th to 19th, 2023, at the Eldoret Sports Club in Uasin Gishu County.
Under the theme of “10 Years of Devolution: The Present and the Future,” the conference provided a platform to reflect on the progress made in decentralization efforts and to strategize for the years ahead. FCA Kenya’s participation was marked by its vibrant exhibition stand located at booth numbers 90/91. The stand served as a hub for showcasing FCA’s impactful work, engaging with conference attendees, and fostering collaborations.
The FCA Kenya team seized the opportunity to engage with various stakeholders, including government officials, civil society organizations, development partners, and community members. The exhibition stand served as a platform to highlight FCA’s initiatives aimed at community development, empowerment, and positive change. Visitors had the chance to learn about FCA’s projects, interact with team members, and explore how FCA’s interventions align with the principles and goals of devolution.
The Nairobi County Deputy Governor, H.E. Deputy Governor James Muchiri, visited the FCA exhibition stand and had a candid discussion with our fundraising officer, Faith Inyanchi, on the work of FCA and how we can strengthen our partnership. Photo: Daisy Obare / FCA
One of the most significant moments during the conference was the visit by H.E. Deputy President William Ruto, who took time to tour the exhibition stands. His visit to the FCA booth was a testament to the impactful work FCA is doing in various thematic areas, aligning with the conference’s focus on driving transformation from the local level.
Charles Apondu, FCA Kenya’s Peace Project Coordinator, passionately explaining the impactful work of FCA Kenya to eager participants. Photo: Daisy Obare / FCA
The conference provided an avenue for FCA Kenya to showcase its commitment to community empowerment, particularly in areas related to education, peace, livelihoods, creative industries, among others. The FCA team engaged in insightful discussions, knowledge-sharing, and networking sessions, contributing to the broader dialogue on devolution and its impact on local communities.
As the conference ended, FCA Kenya’s presence was felt beyond the exhibition stand. The interactions, connections, and insights gained will continue to shape FCA’s approach to community development and empowerment. FCA remains dedicated to contributing to the realization of devolution’s goals by ensuring that local communities are at the center of economic development and positive change.
The Devolution Conference 2023 was indeed a successful platform for FCA Kenya to showcase its commitment to fostering local development, empowering communities, and creating positive impact. As FCA continues its journey of transformation, the lessons and connections from this event will undoubtedly play a significant role in shaping the organization’s future endeavors.
Text; Daisy Obare
Empowering Youth: FCA Kenya’s Creative Industry Transformation
Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) Julieta Valls Noyes With Our Country Director John Bongei, FCA Kenya Chairperson Prof. William Ogara, FCA Kenya Finance Manager Hilda Mawanda and The Creative Industry Team from Jericho
In the bustling city of Nairobi, Kenya, a powerful movement is underway to empower the country’s youth and foster a thriving creative industry. At the forefront of this transformative endeavor is FCA Kenya, an organization dedicated to creating opportunities and opening doors for young talents seeking a pathway to success.
Led by the visionary Prof. William Ogara, FCA Kenya’s Chairperson, and the dynamic Country Director, Mr. John Bongei, the organization has set its sights on a bold mission: to unleash the creative potential of youth and pave the way for a brighter future.
L-R: FCA Kenya Chairperson Prof. William Ogara, Country Director John Bongei, and Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration Julieta Valls Noyes having a chat.Photo Credit: Daisy Onkoba/FCA
Recently, FCA Kenya had the distinct honor of hosting a remarkable event that garnered attention and praise from all corners. The organization proudly welcomed Secretary of State Julieta Valls Noyes, a symbol of the strong partnership between Kenya and the United States. During Her visit, she witnessed firsthand the impactful work being done in the creative industry space by FCA Kenya.
Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, Julieta Valls Noyes, addressing a FCA Kenya, shedding light on the crucial matters of creative industry.Photo Credit: Daisy Onkoba/FCA
During my visit to FCA Kenya, I was deeply inspired by the transformative work being done in the creative industry. It is a testament to the strong partnership between Kenya and the USA and the commitment to empowering youth and creating a brighter future for all,” said Assistant Secretary Julieta Valls Noyes, U.S. Department of State: Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration.
“We firmly believe that the creative industry is a center for job creation,” emphasized Prof. William Otiende Ogara. “Our strategic plan focuses on providing job opportunities for young boys and girls who have not been able to secure traditional white-collar jobs. Through literacy skills enhancement in digital technology, animation, graphic design, and digital marketing, we equip our youth with transferable skills that are in high demand.”
FCA Kenya’s dedication to nurturing talent and honing skills is evident in the overwhelming response they received. Over 400 applications flooded in when opportunities were advertised, a testament to the demand for the skills being offered. With passion and commitment, FCA Kenya stands as a catalyst for economic growth, offering newfound prospects for developing countries to diversify their economies and embrace high-growth sectors.
“The creative industry employs more young people than any other sector,” John Bongei explained. “It’s resilience during global economic crises makes it an essential pillar for socio-economic growth. Many youths are awake when the USA is asleep, leveraging their skills to earn a living. Our programs open doors for them to thrive and contribute to the industry.”
FCA Kenya’s strategic focus on the creative industry encompasses various sectors, including film, TV, music, radio, and design. By nurturing skills like creativity, entrepreneurship, and digital proficiency, the organization empowers youth to tap into this burgeoning sector’s immense potential.
“The creative entrepreneur component of our programs strengthens students’ knowledge, skills, and motivation,” John Bongei continued. “We prepare them for the demands of the creative industry and introduce them to future working life. Identifying and developing their strengths empowers them to embark on successful careers.”
The partnership between FCA Kenya and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) plays a pivotal role in making this creative revolution possible. PRM’s support enabled the establishment of a studio for developing photos, a milestone that propels FCA Kenya’s vision forward.
Peter Nguguna, Creative Industry Trainer doing the presentation during the KECO event. Photo Credit: Daisy Onkoba/FCA
Looking ahead, FCA Kenya is committed to further expanding its Creative Industry Training Youth program at Jericho and Kalobei Kakuma refugee camp. With an upcoming mentorship and incubator hub, the organization will connect industry professionals with students, providing internship opportunities and invaluable guidance.
“The creative industry is a beacon of hope, offering endless opportunities for growth and innovation,” Prof. William Ogara emphasized. “At FCA Kenya, we are nurturing talents and shaping a brighter future for the youth and the creative sector as a whole.”
As FCA Kenya continues its journey, it remains steadfast in creating a dynamic and sustainable creative industry, transforming the lives of Kenya’s youth, and shaping a promising future for generations to come. The organization’s dedication to fostering a vibrant creative community is not only changing lives but also creating a ripple effect that will be felt for years to come.
Text; Daisy Obare
A Journey of Hope and Resilience: Empowering Refugees through Education
In a world where displacement and adversity often overshadow the dreams of many, Finn Church Aid Kenya (FCA) is dedicated to empowering refugees through the transformative power of education. As we reflect on the indomitable spirit of displaced individuals on World Refugee Day, let us explore the initiatives undertaken by FCA, shedding light on our ongoing commitment to support and uplift refugees through education.
Unleashing the Potential of Education
At the heart of FCA’s mission lies a profound belief in the inherent power of education. By advocating for the right to quality education, peace, and livelihood, FCA played a pivotal role in transforming the lives of refugees. Through strategic partnerships with esteemed organizations such as UNHCR, UNICEF, PRM, and the Kenyan government, FCA spearheaded educational initiatives within the Kalobeyei and Kakuma refugee camps.
Building Foundations for a Better Future
FCA’s commitment to education goes beyond the construction of schools; it signifies the creation of safe havens where dreams can flourish. Ahmed Shale, the senior Education Specialist at FCA, explained, “Through the establishment of six primary schools, two secondary schools, and eight pre-primary schools, FCA provided not only access to education but also nurtured an environment where children could dream, explore their passions, and envision a brighter future.” Each year, approximately 20,000 children were enrolled in these schools, reflecting FCA’s dedication to reaching every corner of the camps and empowering young minds.
Empowering Lives, Celebrating Diversity
Students during a Swahili lesson at Morning Star Primary School in Kakuma-Kalobeyei Refugee Settlement. Most students view education as very important for their future.
Students during a Swahili lesson at Morning Star Primary School in Kakuma-Kalobeyei Refugee Settlement. Most students view education as very important for their future.
Photo Credit: Björn Udd/FCA
For FCA, education is a catalyst for empowerment that knows no boundaries. Ahmed Shale affirms, “Education holds the transformative power to unlock the full potential of individuals affected by displacement.” FCA goes above and beyond by actively advocating for and supporting children with disabilities, fostering an inclusive environment that celebrates the unique talents of every child. Through this inclusive approach, FCA cultivates a society where each individual, irrespective of their circumstances, can flourish and contribute meaningfully to their community.
Collaboration for Sustainable Change
Collaboration lies at the heart of FCA’s approach. By actively engaging with implementing donors such as UNICEF, UNHCR, WFP, and the Ministry of Education, as well as partners like LWF, Window Trust Kenya, the DRC, FilmAid, and Peace Wing Japan, FCA ensures a collective effort in sharing experiences, learning from one another, and promoting effective coordination. “Through collaboration and coordination,” says Ahmed Shale, “we amplify the voices and concerns of refugees, ensuring their rights are protected and their perspectives are integrated into decision-making processes.” This collaborative approach paves the way for sustainable change, fostering a future filled with opportunities for all.
Looking Toward a Brighter Future
As we move forward, let us renew our commitment to empowering refugees through education. While challenges such as limited resources, overcrowding, and policy limitations persist, FCA remains steadfast in leaving no displaced individual behind. With continued support from dedicated donors and stakeholders, FCA strives to expand the reach of education, create inclusive learning environments, and break down the barriers that hinder refugees from unlocking their full potential. Together, we can build a brighter future for all.
Text; Daisy Obare
Choose to Challenge.
Recognizing the Strength and Resilience of Women Everywhere
International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate the achievements and contributions of women around the world. It’s a day to recognize the progress that has been made toward gender equality, but also to acknowledge that there is still much work to be done. We have been at the forefront of empowering women.
We have been working to improve the economic status of women through FCA Kenya’s and Women’s Bank’s project in partnership with Taka Taka Solutions, a waste management company, to create jobs and enhance skills as part of women’s economic empowerment where we get to hear the story of Jesca Namyokia Naswa Marofu.
Jesca training to drive heavy machinery. PHOTO BY: Björn Udd
“Previously, I had been trained as an agricultural worker. I worked on coffee and dairy farms, but I only got daily casual jobs. Two years ago, I started working at Taka Taka Solutions, sorting plastics. Then I saw an advert where they were looking for a lady who could drive a forklift. I already knew how to do it but needed to refresh my skills. I applied and was chosen and accepted to attend this course.
I’m so excited that I was chosen to train to be a forklift machine operator.
I wouldn’t have had the possibility to attend this course if I wasn’t supported by FCA Kenya and Women’s Bank.
Now that I have been given this chance, I feel my life will change, and I will have the possibility to pay my rent, feed my kids and let them go to school”, Says Jessica.
The ladies accepted to the course. PHOTO BY: Björn Udd
We believe that every woman and girl has the right to live a life free from discrimination, violence, and poverty. By supporting us, you can help in making this a reality for more women and girls in Kenya.
This International Women’s Day, let us all choose to challenge gender bias and inequality and take action to support women and girls in Kenya.
Join us by donating today.
M-Pesa Paybill: 4086125 Account Number: Your mobile number Account Name: Finn Church Aid Kenya
Your help matters. Your donation counts.
TEXT BY:FAITH YEGON
DRY BONES AND DROPS OF HOPE
A DRIVE THROUGH GARISSA TOWN deep into Lagdera and Balambala engulfs you in a sense of despondency. Acres of land filled with nothing but dying shrubs and dried dams stretch beyond what the eye can see. As the wind blows, giving you a reprieve from the heat and scorching sun, it carries with it a blanket of dust and sand. A clear indication of how bad the drought has become.
The villages are littered with rotten carcasses and dried bones from animals that used to reflect a community’s identity. Homesteads that were once full of life, have been reduced to chunks of bare land and abandoned makeshift homes. Families that once sat together for a meal are missing a father. The men have been forced to leave their families behind, seeking pasture to save the remaining animals.
Photo by Kevin Ochieng’
This is the reality of life for thousands of people living in communities across Northern Kenya. Desperation has slowly crept in as they struggle to survive and hold on to hope, for a future that seems so bleak. “We have not seen a drop of rain, in two years,” says Ebla Ali, who has lived in Balambala for 15 years. “We have never experienced anything like this, our animals have died and even water for drinking has become difficult to get.”
Her children no longer go to school in the afternoon as they have to fetch water from a lager in a dried riverbed close to her home. She wants them to study and to attend school, but the choice is bleak: survival today or her children’s future. “We have to choose between school or dying from lack of water.”
Ebla’s story is not unique, she represents thousands of women living in Garissa who are forced to make the same heartbreaking decision every day. How does a mother give hope to her children, when she has just watched the last of their goats succumb to starvation?
Ebla may have run out of hope, but she and many mothers across Northern Kenya remain resilient. A little boost has sparked their hope and is helping them navigate this difficult time.
Photo by Dennis Otieno
Over the past few months, FCA Kenya has supported over 600 homesteads in Garissa and Marsabit County through cash transfers of 63 euros, equivalent to about KES. 7,600 – 7,800. This has enabled families to buy food, water, and some, school supplies for their children. The first cycle ran from May to July of 2022, and the second cycle in August, expected to run until the end of the year. To ease the communities water storage problem, we mobilized individual Kenyans and local corporations, through our local fundraising initiative #TogetherforGarissa to support the distribution of water storage equipment to households. We partnered with UNICEF, Coca-Cola Beverages Africa and a few Kenyans of goodwill who have supported us to distribute over 5,600 20-litre jerrycans and 3,600 buckets to families in Garissa and Marsabit County.
Women fetching water from a makeshift shallow well. Photo by Kevin Ochieng
While the jerrycans ensure the communities can store clean water for drinking and household use, there’s a need to distribute water tanks to ensure the water is accessed hygienically.
The power of ubuntu cannot be overemphasized. Every support, no matter how small, is invaluable. It has taken concerted effort and support from Kenyans of goodwill for us to reach over 70,000 lives. Imagine how much more could be done if each of us gave a little.
Water running from a repaired borehole in Marsabit County. Photo: Ahmed Shale
When we support, we are not only giving access to water, but we are also giving drops of hope that are restoring the dignity and livelihood of communities. We are transforming the lives of a generation that needs to be in school, to find the means of breaking the cycle of poverty that plagues their environment.
Hopefully, the coming of the short rains signifies a new dawn and the end of the drought. That it washes away the dry bones, prepares the ground to nurture new life, and restores laughter in the homesteads.
Until then, please help us reach 100,000 people by donating to:
M-pesa Paybill:4086125
Account Name: Finn Church Aid Kenya
Your help matters. Your donation counts.
Text: Faith Inyanchi
FCA Kenya responds to drought in Garissa through emergency cash transfer
Fatuma Garane is a widow and lives in Balambala, Garissa County, in Kenya. She has eight children. “This drought has affected my family greatly. I had goats and a donkey, and they died because of the lack of food. The donkey was the one that was my only source of income as I used to do business with it. I cannot say that I take a meal twice or once a day as it is not easy to get food here, so we only eat when we get the food. There are days we go without eating. Life is tough here. Sometimes the food we get here is rice and beans.” PHOTO: BRIAN OTIENO/FCA
Wells, water pans, and rivers are drying up in Garissa County. Many homesteads are without food and livelihood-providing livestock. Cattle have either died in the protracted drought or migrated away with household heads in search of pasture.
GARISSA HAS lost 40% of its livestock with families finding it difficult to survive as they lose their main source of income. The market for livestock paints the same gloomy picture, with goats being sold for as low as Kes 2000 due to the poor condition of the animals and generally depressed markets . Pastoralists are losing their main source of livelihoods.
“Here, people and animals fight to survive in the face of this year’s particularly vicious food and water crisis. Not only is there a scarcity of food and water produced, but people also don’t have money to buy it,” said Fatuma Garane, a resident of Mbalambala, who was visited by the FCA Kenya team.
“We are glad that the money we received from FCA Kenya is helping us buy water and some food though food is costly,” says Fatuma.
A water truck bringing relief in the form of fresh drinking water in Garissa. PHOTO: ALEXON MWASI/FCA
In April 2022, Finn Church Aid (FCA) granted Kes 24,600,000 for a humanitarian relief operation in Kenya and Somalia. Since then, FCA Kenya has provided cash transfers to 350 households in Lagdrera Sub-County and 250 households in Balambala Sub-County to enable families to buy water and food and cater to their children’s education needs. In addition, they’re able toreconstruct their houses, buy goats to restock, and pay their medical fees. Each household has received Kes 15480, transferred in two installments to the right holders’ MPESA number
“No water means no food”
Mohamed Korone, a Maalimin resident, described the effects of the drought,
“Everything in Lagdera and Balambala revolves around water. No water means no food. No food means people are weak and cannot work. Children also cannot go to school when parents do not have a source of livelihood and also suffer malnutrition. Animals cannot survive without water”.
The severe drought kills cattle which means loss of livelihood for people too in Garissa.
FCA Kenya has already put in place short-term measures to address this crisis, such as giving unconditional cash to families. This will assist in purchasing some household needs and reviving local markets. This is only temporary, as Garissa residents walk an average of 8.3 kilometres in search of water. They sometimes buy water for Kes 15-40, whereas other rural communities buy water for Kes 5.
FCA post-distribution monitoring for the first cycle of the multipurpose cash assistance in May 2022 revealed that 13% of the recipients spent Kes 2207 on water, accounting for 28.25% of the monthly multipurpose cash assistance. Food was the most pressing need, accounting for Kes 4413 for 80 percent of the households supported. The 600 most vulnerable households will receive the final tranche of cash assistance in July 2022 to help further mitigate the effects of the drought, which is predicted to further worsen.
Text: Elizabeth Oriedi
Free school meals mean better grades for refugees in Kenya
Phillip Loturi John was the highest scoring student in all of FCA’s schools in Kenya. Photo: Elizabeth Oriedi/FCA
Daily meals provided to refugee students in Kenya help them to excel.
PHILLIP LOTURI JOHN wants to become President of South Sudan. The 15-year-old is a student at Morning Star Primary School, one of the six schools that Finn Church Aid (FCA) operates in Kalobeyei, northern Kenya. Philip scored 391 on his Kenya Certificate for Primary Education (KCPE), making him the best overall student at any of FCA’s schools in Kalobeyei.
Located in the Turkana region, an arid area that suffers frequent drought, local people live together with refugees in Kalobeyei. While the Turkana people are traditionally pastoralists, they struggle with the arid climate and this is one of the reasons why FCA provides daily meals of maize and beans to refugees and Turkana students, with support from the World Food Programme (WFP).
Children sit on the floor in a classroom of Future Bright Primary School in Kalobeyei, Kenya. Around 3,000 children attend the school in classes that have over one hundred students. Photo: Antti Yrjönen/FCA
Phillip wants to become the President of South Sudan so that he can help other children, like himself, get an education. “Being a refugee, I would love to see all children acquire education,” he says. His best subject is Social Studies because he believes it will ‘mould him into a good leader’.
Along with his parents, John Lomeri and Monica Epii, and his five siblings, Philip came to Kenya in 2016 when conflict escalated in South Sudan. They fled and found their way to Kenya where they were registered by UNHCR and settled in Kalobeyei.
WFP’s school feeding programme provides hot meals to all of the 21,000 children at FCA’s schools in Kalobeyei. The meals help to increase enrolment by encouraging parents to send their children to school as Phillip’s mother can testify. “I am glad that my children get education, but they are also offered meals,” she says.
A girl from the Turkhana tribe holds her lunch which is served during a school meals program sat at school in Kalobeyei, Kenya. Kalobeyei is a settlement where refugees live alongside each other and face similar issues such as food, water and education shortages. FCA supports five primary schools in this area. Photo: Antti Yrjönen/FCA
Phillip is happy that he doesn’t have to try and learn on an empty stomach. “We can concentrate in school because we are not hungry. I performed well because I was never hungry,” he says, appreciating the contribution that WFP makes.
“When we go home in the evening, we often don’t find our parents because they either went to work or do business,” he says. “So, since we had meals in school, we end up revising or doing remedial classes with our teachers after 4 pm.”
Phillip’s high grades are not so unusual – the link between school meals and scholastic performance is proven. Providing school meals consistently increases school enrollment and attendance. “We have been able to keep learners in schools because of the free meals. School meal plays an important and is a motivating factor for the learners and for parents to enroll children,” said Antony Zenga, the headteacher of the Morning Star Primary. FCA Kenya schools are registered as public schools by the Ministry of Education in Kenya, thus qualifying them to be government schools where children from the local community and refugees can attend.
The Secretary of Education in Kenya, George Magoha, announced on 10 April 2022 that all students who scored over 380 for their KCPE can attend national schools. Six students from schools in Kalobeyei are eligible to enroll this year and, as one of those students, Phillip is one step closer to becoming President of South Sudan.
Text: Elizabeth Oriedi
Honey sweetens the lives of Pokot women
The Barpello women’s group in Baringo county. Photo: Rose Kosgei
Women are breaking stereotypes and treading into male-dominated realms in Kenya. They have proved that what men can do, they can do better, breaking the bias that some jobs are only meant for men.
BEEKEEPING and honey-processing, has always been considered men’s work in the Pokot tribe and women were considered weak in this society. Women had no voice in public forums and no authority within the home. She was considered “foolish”, like the cows for which she was traded for, says Chief Irene Kiplagat.
March 8th is International Women’s Day and, as we celebrate inspiring women, Barpello women in Baringo County chose to take the road less travelled on their entrepreneurship journey with the support of FCA Kenya and the leadership of Chief Irene Kiplagat. Since 2018, FCA Kenya has supported the Barpello women’s group which has 25 women, the majority of whom only completed class eight.
Chief Irene Kiplagat (at right) with members of the Barpello women’s group and the honey that they sell. Photo: Rose Kosgei
Barpello women source raw honey from farmers in the area and they sell it locally. “We source the honey at Sh500 per kilo and sell at Sh 800. In a day, we can sell over 200 kilograms depending on the season,” says Kiplagat. She says they prefer buying raw honey to keeping bees due to the time and labour demands of honey harvesting.
Chepmarich Kakales from the Barpello women’s group with some of the honey that they sell. Photo: Rose Kosgei
“Beekeeping is not only time consuming, but also demanding. It needs dedication and monitoring to make bees feel comfortable in that environment and keep off honey thieves. We prefer buying raw honey as they only need to package and sell,” she says.
Selling honey is a sweet business that transforms the lives of these women as there is a high demand for honey in Kenya. “We have seen the lives of women and children being transformed just because of the sale of honey. Some of the women lacked food and could not pay school fees for the children but now they can,” says Kiplagat.
Before venturing into the honey business, most women were only housewives who depending on their husbands. “As a women’s group, we give each other loans and develop our homesteads. We save the profits from honey sales. We have a savings book from the honey business and a bank account,” Kiplagat says.
Kiplagat says that the Barpello Women are skilled multi-taskers because they take care of numerous chores at home and while also working as businesswomen. With financial support from the FCA Kenya the women have also become peacebuilders.
“Conflict resolution training has helped us keep peace in our homes and our location. We attend peace meetings and engage in peace dialogues. Imagine me as a woman talking to the village elders about how we can leave and coexist as humans given the fact that our culture does not allow women to address men,” says Kiplagat.
Barpello Women group have continued to break stereotypes and boundaries. They are acknowledged, appreciated, and admired for their new roles as entrepreneurs and leaders. In 2019 Kiplagat received an award from the Baringo county government recognising her as a leader in Anti-Female Genital Mutilation and Development.
Today, when society and businesses are still male-dominated, a growing number of ladies are becoming businesswomen. “Entrepreneurship is not a cakewalk. One must be stubborn, strong-hearted, and enduring to keep your head high even when they nag at you,” Kiplagat says.
Text: Elizabeth Oriedi
Quality vs Quantity: The challenge of providing education to refugees in Kenya
“The challenges are many.” It’s a phrase you hear often in Kenya and it rings especially true in the Kakuma refugee camp.
CLOSE TO BORDERS of Uganda, South Sudan and Ethiopia, Kakuma has harboured refugees from neighbouring countries for almost thirty years. It was established when a group of children, the ‘Lost Boys’, arrived from Sudan in 1992. In that year, Ethiopians and Somalis also fled to the camp after political crisis in their countries.
Today, Kakuma and the surrounding areas hosts a mix of nationalities and over half of the population is under eighteen. They are well served by the 26 primary and secondary schools in and around the camp. Such is its reputation for education, that children will walk for days from South Sudan to Kakuma to attend school. In November last year, three quarters of the 3,000 children in the reception centres had travelled to Kakuma to enroll in school.
Two boys walk to school in Kalobeyei, Kenya which is home to around 42,000 people, half of whom are primary-aged children or younger. These boys attend Future Primary school which is supported by FCA. Photo: Antti Yrjönen/FCA
The Kenyan Government welcomes them as best they can. Refugees in Kakuma are given a plot of land and poles and plastic sheeting to build a basic shelter. In Kalobeyei, a settlement thirty kilometres from Kakuma, they can build permanent homes, but this is barely enough to protect them from temperatures that can reach over forty degrees celsius.
Kakuma is located in one of the driest parts of Kenya and many of those who live there are dependent upon aid. Every year, new residents arrive, stretching resources further and further. In Kalobeyei, recently arrived refugees live among the Turkhana people. Established in 2016, the settlement is a departure from the Kenya Government’s earlier policy which discouraged refugees from working and integrating into the local population. In Kalobeyei, refugees and Kenyans live, work and study together. This is where FCA works.
Refugees crowd into classrooms
We operate eight primary schools for Kenyan and refugee children with funding from the Bureau of Population, Refugees & Migration, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Children’s Fund and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland. According to UNHCR, 77 percent of children aged 6-13 attend school, almost on par with the national average of 80 percent. But the number of students is ever increasing and challenges of operating crowded classrooms is no more evident than in Kalobeyei.
Children in a classroom at Future Primary School in Kalobeyei, Kenya. The school has around 3,000 students and each class has over 100 students. 42,000 people live in Kalobeyei and half are primary school age or younger. Photo: Antti Yrjönen/FCA
When school starts at 8am the temperature is already over thirty degrees Celsius. The air is full of dust and the shouts and laughter of children emanate from the classrooms. Inside the large, corrugated steel buildings, children are crammed four or five to a desk, overflowing onto the floor. Each class has at least one hundred students, some classes, close to two hundred.
Martin Albino Ayyiro (50) has been teaching for 26 years and was one of the best teachers in Torit, South Sudan, where he lived before fleeing to Kenya. Photo: Antti Yrjönen/FCA
Martin Albino Ayyiro was was a teacher in Torit, South Sudan, for twenty-five years, before conflict forced him to flee to Kenya. In South Sudan, his classes had a maximum of sixty students.
He now teaches at Future Primary School and says,
“You cannot control the situation of the classroom because you don’t know who understands you and who doesn’t understand you,” says Ayyiro.
Teachers struggle to educate
In his classroom in Kalobeyei, Ayyiro often struggles to teach his students.
“… some children are very difficult, or they have problems. Maybe a child cannot come to school or can come irregular or (they) can come late to school. So, sometimes, maybe they are sleeping in the class,” he says.
Most of the refugees in Kalobeyei are also from Torit and, as a member of this community, Ayyiro not only speaks their native language, but often knows the parents, so he will make home visits. As a refugee teacher, he is not qualified in Kenya and so is paid as a volunteer (53EURO per month) in addition to the aid he receives as a refugee. Although he faces significant challenges, there are shared by everyone who works in the program.
Richard Tsalwa is FCA’s Project Coordinator in Kalobeyei and one of the first things you notice about Tsalwa is his eyes. They are kind, but tired. He oversees eight primary schools, 231 teachers and 21,000 students. He often talks about retiring to Kakamega, in Western Kenya, where he is from.
When Tsalwa began studying education, he was guaranteed a job. But by the time he graduated (1998) the Kenyan Government had stopped employing teachers because of a World Bank structural adjustment.
“We were the first class not to be posted. We all went into other jobs – some are bankers, some are businessmen. Some Kenyan teachers spend many years unemployed – up to ten years,” says Tsalwa.
Richard Tsalwa is the Technical Project Manager for FCA in Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya. A trained teacher himself, he oversees primary education for around 21,000 students. Photo: Antti Yrjönen/FCA
When it comes to education, Tsalwa has seen it all. He has been a humanitarian for fifteen years and has worked in Nigeria, Sudan, Chad, Sri Lanka and, for the last three years, in Kakuma for FCA. “We have seen education changing the lives of these refugees,” Tsalwa says.
Giving every child an education is a simple theory, but in practice, ‘the challenges are many’, especially among refugee populations. Sustainable Development Goal number four is to ‘ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’. The reality is that there is no single organisation or authority responsible for this. In Kakuma, the responsibility for primary and secondary education for refugees lies with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), however their primary mandate is protection, not education.
Funding cuts mean more students per teacher
Funding cuts in the aid sector mean that FCA has less money to pay teachers in 2022 – funds for next year are 40% less than in 2021 which means less teachers or smaller salaries.. “… if you reduce the teachers, the number of learners is increasing – there are new ones coming in … Right now we have a gap of 35 teachers and … we can only absorb (pay) these teachers just for six months,” says Tsalwa.
Children in Kalobeyei queue up for lunch. The school has around 3,000 students and for many of them this will be their only meal of the day. Photo: Antti Yrjönen/FCA
Beside teacher salaries, there are other costs of running a school such as teaching and learning materials, equipping children with special needs, supporting teenage mothers. The World Food Program funds school meals which for some children, is their only meal of the day.
As little funding as there is for primary education, there is even less for secondary. This results in high dropout rates. Among refugees aged from 14-17, only five percent attend high school. This is lower than the rate in Turkhana County (nine percent) where Kalobeyei is located and well below the 38 percent national average.
FCA training refugees to teach
With so few refugees finishing high school very few are qualified to become teachers, but this is something that FCA is trying to address by providing scholarships to refugees at a new teacher training college close to Kakuma. Funded by UNHCR, the college has the capacity for one hundred students, and Mawut Wwor Chol is one of the first to attend lectures there. Originally from Ethiopia, Chol started studying at the college in October, but his journey to get there epitomises the challenges that refugees face.
Chol started Secondary School in 2011 and, due to ‘issues’, had to repeat his first class. During his exams for his school certificate the camp was ‘in a mess’. “There was infighting among the refugees. There was a fighting that messed up the camp and there was insecurity … I had sleepless nights. I would be watching from seven in the evening up to the daybreak and then I went to write the exam until I completed,” says Chol.
Mawut Wwor Chol (32) sits in a class at the teacher training college close to the Kakuma refugee camp. He is one of the first students to attend classes at the college which is supported by FCA. Originally from Ethiopia, Chol fled to Kakuma with his younger brother when he was fourteen. Photo: Antti Yrjönen/FCA
He failed his exams. “That made me bitter,” he says. Determined, he decided to repeat and was offered a scholarship at a school in Kitale, a large town in Western Kenya. This time he passed, but it still took him another year to find a job as a teacher in Kakuma. When he finally did, he seized every educational opportunity that came his way and has even completed a course with Regis University in the United States in March 2021. “Instead of going to Nairobi University or anywhere there, we are trying to get it piece by piece, so that we join the educated world,” says Chol.
If the challenges for men like Chol are many, the challenges for women are even more. The few who complete secondary school have very low grades, so finding qualified female teachers is very difficult.
“At ECD (early childhood development) the ratio is fifty-fifty, boys to girls. As you go up the grades, the ration decreases to about a third of girls in the classrooms. They leave school for many reasons – domestic work, looking after other children, pregnancy and early marriage,” says Tsalwa.
Women face more challenges
These challenges are something that Roda Daniel knows well. A refugee from Sudan, she fled to Kenya, alone, after primary school. Girls like her are particularly vulnerable, and so she was enrolled in an all-girls boarding school. This helped her to focus on her studies and she graduated and became a teacher. Now, she is the deputy head teacher at Morning Star Primary School (which is supported by FCA) and is one of the first students to study at the Teacher Training Centre.
Roda Daniel (25) is one of the first teachers to attend lectures at the teacher training college near Kakuma, Kenya. Roda finished primary school in Sudan before she fled to Kenya. After completing high school, she became a deputy head teacher at a local primary school. Photo: Antti Yrjonen/FCA
“Going to school from very early in the morning and coming out from here 5-5.30 you reach home six. With some females, like the lactating mothers, it becomes a challenge. What we came to realise, when the few were shortlisted, it was a qualification thing that meant most of females were not selected. Though many of us hoped to have this course, now, very few, very few are picked because of the qualifications,” says Daniel.
Despite affirmative action, that recognises experience instead of qualifications, Daniel was one of only ten females out of sixty students in the first intake at the college. Those who were ‘picked’ realise how lucky they are. When you walk into the lecture hall of the training college there is a palpable feeling of optimism. Although this might be said of any group of young hopefuls, it is amplified by the challenges that these students have had overcome to make it here. “You see the hunger for education, especially among the South Sudanese,” says Dennis Wamalwa, the lecturer.
The education diploma offered at the Teacher Training College is a compressed course that takes just over a year, whereas a diploma in a public university takes between two and two and a half years. At the college, students learn onsite and online and the first intake should graduate in December next year.
Tsalwa is hopeful that the training college will improve the standard of education and teaching in Kakuma. “I hope to see well trained teachers (in 2022) who will definitely boost the quality of teaching and learning in our schools
… when we talk of quality, you can only talk of quality when you have trained teachers to deliver the curriculum,” says Tsalwa.
The resource centre in the teacher training college in the Kakuma refugee camp. Opening in October 2021 and supported by FCA, the centre offers a university diploma in education to refugee teachers. Photo: Antti Yrjönen/FCA
Tsalwa is also a realist and knows that once the refugees are qualified, they may leave teaching for other opportunities. He says that “… if you graduate in Kenya with a primary school certificate, you are well-qualified if you go back to South Sudan.”
“When you train them well, they get other jobs, because they don’t like teaching. They do it because they don’t have any other choice, so we have a high turnover of teachers,” he says. There is very little that can be done about this. Tsalwa knows himself how stressful teaching is even when they aren’t dealing with over a hundred students. Chol acknowledges this too, “I think it (the course) is a gateway for another opportunity.”
But Roda Daniel is different and illustrates why it is important to create opportunities for women. “With my mindset, I am still just within Kenya. And after graduating I will still see ahead if I will really get an opportunity to do a degree. Meanwhile (it is) still best teaching or supporting our community.”
Roda Daniel (25) leaves the teacher training college for refugees. After completing high school in Kakuma, she became a deputy head teacher at a local primary school and is one of the first to attend lectures at the college. Photo: Antti Yrjönen/FCA
Text: Melany Markham
Photos: Antti Yrjönen
FCA and Kenya women recognized by an ally of women’s empowerment
Former President of Estonia highlighted how information and communication technology, such as the Internet and mobile phones, are powerful tools for increasing women’s voice and encouraged women to embrace technology.
WOMEN IN KENYA have a powerful ally in the former President of Estonia, Kersti Kaljulaid, one of the most powerful women in the world. When elected in 2016, Kaljulaid was the youngest and first woman to be elected as president of Estonia.
During her term, Kaljulaid highlighted the issue of domestic violence and championed birth registration for every child. Visiting Kenya for the first time in 2021, Kaljulaid joined more than 500 women and ten non-government organizations that aim to empower women in Kenya. Women from education, handicraft, information technology and fashion attended the Women’s Empowerment Breakfast organized by Mondo, an Estonian NGO (one of FCA’s partners).
ICTs can help empower women
The former President Kaljulaid said that she is thrilled that the collaboration with FCA aimed empower women and youth through creative industries.
“ICTs can increase women’s and girls’ access to knowledge and information beyond their immediate environment and enable wider professional networks,” she said.
Kaljulaid also highlighted how information and communication technology (ICT), such as the Internet and mobile phones, are powerful tools for increasing women’s voice and encouraged women to embrace technology.
“ICTs can help shape the aspirations and hopes of the next generation of women and girls, including their economic opportunities, expectations of gender roles, and leadership abilities”, she said.
Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS), State Department for Gender, Linah Chebii Kilimo together with FCA Kenya’s Country director Mr. John Bongei, presenting a piece of Kenyan Art Work to the former President of Estonia Ms. Kersti Kaljulaid.
Showing an example with digitalization
Like Kenya, Estonia is a world leader in digitization and has been described as the ‘world’s most digitally advanced society.Following a strategic government policy and deliberate investment in IT infrastructure, the country started e-banking in 1996. E-IDs followed in 2002, and now almost every bureaucratic task can be done online in Estonia.
In Nairobi, 60 percent of the population lives in Eastlands where many young people struggle to find employment and do not have access to digital learning opportunities. FCA Kenya and Mondo are training 250 young people with hands-on skills in photography and videography, online music recording, and other digital economy skills.
John Bongei, FCA Kenya’s Country Director, presented shared more about the impact of our work in the education sector, peace and livelihood to the audience present during the September 2021 break with the President.
“FCA is honored to be recognized by woman who has achieved so much for herself and her country. She is an inspiration to all of us, and we look forward to following her example through our work with Mondo,” Bongei said.
According to Kaljulaid, Covid forced the global education community to step away from business as usual and to work in partnership even more, identifying alternative ways for children and teachers to continue learning remotely. In isolated areas this means providing quality educational resources for teaching and learning.
“I am glad that Kenya has solutions for children to learn virtually despite the Covid disruption,” said Kaljulaid.
