What are the living conditions like in Kakuma Refugee Camp?

Kakuma is a harsh desert environment with extreme heat and scarce water, prone to flooding. It hosts around 200,000 people. Living conditions are challenging, with informal businesses and schools operating amidst dust and a sense of containment, contrasting with the experience of international staff.

How did the founders of Vijana Twaweza get the idea for the project?

The idea stemmed from university courses on global health and human rights, highlighting issues like food insecurity. Realizing the need for sustainable food sources in Kakuma, the founders decided to start a fish farming project, connecting it with vegetable cultivation and other sustainable practices.

What are permaculture principles and how are they applied by Vijana Twaweza?

Permaculture is an ideology focused on sustainable resource use and living. Vijana Twaweza applies it by creating efficient water cycles, connecting fish ponds to gardens, using crop waste for insect farming (like crickets), and then using insects to feed fish, creating a closed-loop system beneficial for people and the environment.

How does Vijana Twaweza educate children in the camp?

Vijana Twaweza conducts training programs in primary schools, teaching permaculture principles and sustainable farming. They co-create learning journeys with students, encouraging questions and building on existing knowledge to empower children to grow their own food and teach their families.

What are Vijana Twaweza's future plans for expansion?

Future plans include constructing more fish ponds, implementing aquaponics systems for improved water efficiency, expanding insect farming to include soldier flies and termites, and cultivating mushrooms. They also aim to extend sustainable agriculture education to more schools and enhance social-emotional support for children.

How can external organizations like MIT support projects like Vijana Twaweza?

External support should be patient and guided by the community's stated needs. Rather than imposing solutions, listening to what the community requires and providing resources, microfinancing, or skill development when requested is crucial. Vijana Twaweza is open to discussions and collaborations that help the community.

Does Vijana Twaweza focus on job creation or problem-solving?

The primary vision of Vijana Twaweza is problem-solving. While their activities do create employment opportunities through remunerated services for tasks like construction or sales, their core mission is addressing community challenges like food insecurity and sustainability.

What is the participation of girls in the Vijana Twaweza project?

Nearly half of Vijana Twaweza's active members (around 27 out of 40) are girls. This is a significant achievement given the cultural challenges in Kakuma that can discourage girls' involvement in community projects. The project actively works to change these cultural norms.

Key Moments

A Project Presentation and Discussion - Fishing in the Desert: The Story of Vijana Twaweza

MIT OpenCourseWare

Education4 min read61 min video

May 2, 2022|147 views|6

Migration Summit MIT ReACT Higher Education Workforce Development Displacement Refugees

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Key Moments

TL;DR

Youth club cultivates fish, vegetables, and chickens in a desert refugee camp, fostering cohesion and sustainable livelihoods.

Key Insights

Vijana Twaweza is a refugee-led initiative in Kakuma camp promoting community cohesion through sustainable agriculture and aquaculture.

The project addresses food insecurity by establishing fish farms and vegetable gardens in a challenging desert environment.

Permaculture principles are integrated to ensure efficient resource use, particularly water, and ecological sustainability.

The club actively engages in education, teaching permaculture and sustainable practices to children in local primary schools.

Vijana Twaweza adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic by creating and disseminating health information within the camp.

The project aims for expansion, including aquaponics systems and insect farming, to further enhance food production and livelihoods.

ORIGINS OF VIJANA TWAWEZA IN KAKUMA CAMP

Vijana Twaweza, meaning 'Youth Want' or 'Youth Have Arrived' in Swahili, is a refugee-led development project initiated in Kakuma refugee camp, Kenya. Located in a harsh desert environment, Kakuma hosts approximately 200,000 individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds. The project was co-founded by youth who participated in higher education courses, like those offered by the University of Geneva's refugee context program, facilitated by Dr. Paul O'Keeffe. These courses, though accessed with limited resources, empowered refugees with knowledge. Dr. O'Keeffe became deeply invested, recognizing the students' potential and fostering collaboration that led to the formation of Vijana Twaweza.

ADDRESSING FOOD INSECURITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES

The core motivation behind Vijana Twaweza stemmed from the critical issue of food insecurity within Kakuma. Recognizing the scarcity of local food sources, particularly fish, which had to be transported from distant locations, the founders sought a sustainable solution. They established a fish farm, a novel concept in the arid landscape, which drew curiosity and community engagement. This initiative, along with vegetable gardening, aimed to directly combat hunger and improve nutrition. The project started with small-scale endeavors, gradually growing into a more significant community resource, demonstrating resilience in a challenging climate.

INTEGRATION OF PERMACULTURE AND SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES

As Vijana Twaweza grew, the founders embraced permaculture principles to enhance sustainability and resource efficiency. They observed the high water consumption of fish ponds and the scarcity of water in Kakuma, leading them to develop an integrated system. This system connects fish ponds to vegetable gardens, using wastewater to irrigate crops. Crop waste then feeds insect farms, primarily crickets, which in turn provide protein-rich food for the fish. This closed-loop approach minimizes waste, conserves water, and maximizes resource utilization, embodying a truly sustainable model tailored to the camp's environment.

EDUCATING THE NEXT GENERATION AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Vijana Twaweza extends its impact through education by training children in local primary schools on permaculture and sustainable farming techniques. The goal is to empower children with the knowledge to grow their own food, reducing reliance on external aid and fostering self-sufficiency. The program involves participatory learning, co-creating educational journeys with students to understand their needs and insights. This initiative not only imparts practical skills but also encourages critical thinking and problem-solving, aiming to build a generation capable of addressing future challenges within the community.

ADAPTATION AND COMMUNITY RESPONSE DURING COVID-19

The club demonstrated significant adaptability during the COVID-19 pandemic. When official information was scarce in the camp, Vijana Twaweza collaborated with medical students from Geneva to create informational videos about the virus. These videos, translated into Swahili, were widely shared via mobile phones, helping to dispel myths and provide crucial public health guidance. This initiative highlighted the club's proactive leadership and its commitment to community well-being, showcasing their ability to mobilize resources and knowledge to address emergent crises effectively.

EXPANSION PLANS AND FUTURE VISION

Vijana Twaweza has ambitious plans for the future, aiming to scale its impact within Kakuma and beyond. These include constructing more fish ponds, implementing aquaponics systems for greater water efficiency, and diversifying insect farming to include soldier flies and termites, alongside mushroom cultivation. The club is also seeking partnerships, notably with Jesuit Refugee Services, to expand their operational space. Furthermore, they plan to extend their educational programs to more schools and enhance social-emotional support for children through sports and community activities.

LEADERSHIP, EMPOWERMENT, AND EXTERNAL SUPPORT

The success of Vijana Twaweza underscores the power of refugee-led initiatives and the importance of listening to community needs. Dr. O'Keeffe and others emphasized that external support should follow the lead of the community, respecting their timing and priorities. Microfinancing and skill development are crucial, but they must be user-led. The project has received recognition, including awards from the World Food Programme and Permaculture Magazine, validating its innovative approach and impact. The club actively participates in academic discourse, contributing research and articles on refugee-led development.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Supplements

●Software & Apps

●Companies

●Organizations

●Concepts

●People Referenced

Vijana Twaweza Project Action Guide

Practical takeaways from this episode

Do This

Articulate your ideas and put them forward.

Identify problems affecting you and your community, and seek to solve them.

Continuously learn and improve through practice.

Collaborate and share knowledge with others.

Listen to community needs and involve them in decision-making.

Be patient and let communities guide external support.

Focus on solving problems rather than solely on job creation.

Avoid This

Wait for others to start projects or provide help.

Impose external solutions without understanding community needs.

Rush the scaling of projects; allow for organic growth and community adoption.

Underestimate the potential impact of refugee-led initiatives.

Common Questions

Vijana Twaweza means 'youth can achieve' in English. It is a refugee-led development project based in Kakuma Refugee Camp focused on sustainable agriculture, including fish farming, vegetable growth, and soap making, to improve nutrition and livelihoods.

Topics

Health & Longevity Mindset & Self-Improvement Society & Philosophy Circular Economy Sustainable Development Community Empowerment Food Security Refugee-led Initiatives Education In Displacement

Mentioned in this video

Organizations

Paper Airplanes

One of the organizers of the Migration Summit 2022.

World Cup Program

A program with which Vijana Twaweza is seeking to establish a partnership, receiving a visit from an ambassador.

MIT J-WEL

An organizer of the Migration Summit 2022.

Jesuit Refugee Service

An NGO in Kakuma that partnered with Vijana Twaweza, providing space to expand fish pond construction.

MIT Refugee Action Hub

An organizer of the Migration Summit 2022, focusing on education and workforce development for refugees.

Adai Psycho

An organization co-founded by Jospin Amis.

World Food Programme

An organization whose Next Generation Innovator Award was won by Dr. Paul Okefe and the Vijana Twaweza project.

University College Dublin

The academic institution where Dr. Paul Okefe is affiliated.

University of Geneva

An institution that offered higher education programs in refugee contexts, which the founders of Vijana Twaweza participated in.

Danish Technical University

A university whose students collaborated with Vijana Twaweza to co-create an aquaponics system.

People

Jospin Amis

Co-founder of Adai Psycho and an MIT REACT alumni, who introduces the Vijana Twaweza session.

Paul Okefe

An advisor to the Vijana Twaweza project and a winner of the 2021 World Food Programme Next Generation Innovator Award. He discusses the project's formation and impact.

James C. Lundo

A founder and director of the Vijana Twaweza youth club, involved in its project development and initiatives.

Chloe Lundo

A founder and director of the Vijana Twaweza youth club, contributing to its growth and sustainability efforts.

Jamila Karan

A colleague of Paul Okefe who led the human rights course at the University of Geneva attended by the founders of Vijana Twaweza.

Jumercy MacDonald

One of the founders of Vijana Twaweza, who took courses on human rights and global health, and initiated the idea for the fish farming project.

Gloria Lucambo

Co-founder of Vijana Twaweza, who played a key role in developing the project's sustainable approach, including permaculture principles.

Danish Ambassador

Visited Vijana Twaweza, indicating interest from the Danish government in supporting their initiatives.

Companies

Mybox Banking Corporation

A corporation where Jospin Amis works as an IT professional.

Concepts

Vijana Twaweza

A refugee-led development project based in Kakuma refugee camp, meaning 'youth can achieve' in English. It involves fish farming, vegetable growth, and soap making.

Locations

Kakuma Refugee Camp

One of the largest refugee camps in the world, located in northwestern Kenya, home to approximately 200,000 people from various countries. It is characterized by its harsh desert environment and challenging living conditions.

Denmark

The country where DTU Sky Lab students are located, who collaborated on the aquaponics system.

Products

Moringa

Mentioned as a highly nutritious vegetable, similar to spinach, that was grown by the project.

Supplements

soldier flies

Mentioned as an insect Vijana Twaweza plans to rear for feeding fish, alongside crickets.

termites

Mentioned as another insect that Vijana Twaweza plans to rear.

Software & Apps

A professional networking platform where a story about a child creating a Bluetooth device from recycled materials was shared.