Key Moments
Empowering Refugee-Led Community Based Organizations: Journeys to Belonging
MIT OpenCourseWareKey Moments
Refugee leaders share empowerment journeys, building skills and communities in Kakuma camp.
Key Insights
Community-based organizations (CBOs) founded by refugees are vital for empowering youth and women in Kakuma camp.
Skill development in areas like digital literacy, vocational trades, and entrepreneurship is crucial for refugee self-reliance.
Mentorship and financial support, particularly from individuals like Eileen Winiker, play a significant role in the success of these CBOs.
Challenges include lack of space, limited resources (computers, internet), funding, and obtaining legal identity for organizations.
Transparency, reporting, proposals, and networking are essential skills for CBO leaders seeking sustainability and external support.
These CBOs not only serve refugees but also create employment opportunities for the host community.
THE MIGRATION SUMMIT AND ITS PURPOSE
The session, part of the Migration Summit 2022 organized by MIT Open Learning and other partners, focuses on education and workforce development for refugee and migrant communities. This specific session highlights the personal empowerment and skill development journeys of three founders of community-based organizations (CBOs) serving refugee youth in Kakuma camp, Kenya. Dr. Eileen Winiker, an educator and mentor, leads the session, introducing the leaders she has supported.
ADVOCACY INITIATIVE FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT (AIYD)
Ebengo Honore Alfansi (Anoree) founded AIYD in 2019, aiming to break the cycle of poverty and increase job placement for youth through digital skills and leadership training. Programs like 'Fit for Purpose' cover basic and advanced computer skills, freelancing, digital entrepreneurship, and conflict resolution. AIYD's vision is to train 45,000 youth by 2030, but faces challenges like insufficient training space and a lack of computers and internet access.
ANOR'S PERSONAL JOURNEY AND THE BIRTH OF AIYD
Anoree, originally from the DRC, arrived in Kenya in 2013 and faced language barriers. After acquiring English skills and completing a human rights course, he focused on child rights education. A child's question about equal access to digital skills prompted him to seek help. He connected with Eileen, who provided initial funding for computers, leading to the establishment of a training center. AIYD has since expanded its offerings and aims for financial sustainability by empowering its community members to share skills.
THERE IS HOPE AFRICA: EMPOWERING WOMEN AND YOUTH
Kitala Mupenge Fabrice founded 'There is Hope Africa' in 2017 to address the challenges faced by refugees, particularly women and youth. The organization provides vocational training in tailoring, music production, video production, and movie production. By empowering these vulnerable groups, the CBO aims to reduce issues like domestic violence and youth delinquency stemming from unemployment. A daycare program has been implemented to support young mothers attending training.
FABRICE'S PATH TO LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT
Fabrice, also from the DRC, arrived in Kakuma in 2012. Gaining experience with various humanitarian organizations, he identified gaps in assistance for refugees. In 2017, he co-founded 'There is Hope Africa'. He connected with Eileen, proposing programs for vocational training in hairdressing and a daycare service, which she funded. Later, he proposed programs for youth in music and video production to combat crime and idleness, which also received support.
KAKUMA VOCATIONAL CENTER (KVC): FOSTERING INNOVATION
Matabishi Titho John founded the Kakuma Vocational Center (KVC) in 2018 to equip refugees and the host community with skills for a better future. KVC implements hands-on projects in a makerspace, focusing on creativity and problem-solving through activities like design thinking and innovation challenges. They also offer graphic design and social-emotional learning for parents, recognizing that educated families are key to solving poverty and domestic violence.
MATABISHI'S VISION AND GROWTH OF KVC
Originally from the DRC, Matabishi arrived in Kenya in 2012. He started KVC in 2018 after noticing issues with children's access to education. He took courses on non-profit management and philanthropy to gain knowledge. KVC began with children not attending school, later expanding to woodworking and design thinking with Eileen's support and funding. They have added a daycare and social-emotional learning for parents, and are exploring innovation to address community needs.
EILEEN WINIKER'S MENTORSHIP AND PHILOSOPHY
Eileen Winiker, a retired educator, has dedicated her time to mentoring refugee leaders. Her approach emphasizes empowering them to become independent. She provides financial and technical support, but gradually pulls back as they gain capacity. She stresses the importance of refugee-led solutions, as they understand their community's needs best. She also helps them develop crucial skills like proposal writing, budgeting, and reporting to funders.
BUILDING CAPACITY: SKILLS AND SUSTAINABILITY
The leaders highlight the importance of developing skills beyond vocational training, such as writing proposals, creating project budgets, and submitting regular reports. These are essential for seeking future funding and demonstrating accountability to donors. Eileen also facilitated a fundraising course for her mentees through Acumen, enhancing their ability to articulate their mission and resource needs effectively.
NETWORKING AND EXTERNAL COLLABORATIONS
Networking has been critical for expanding the reach and resources of these CBOs. AIYD connected with Techfitch for digital sprints and received laptops, and with Scott Bill for equipment. There is Hope Africa collaborations include training with a visiting tailor from Nairobi and projects focused on beadwork. KVC has received book donations from a Canadian contact and is engaging with the Sega project and Design Thinkers USA.
OVERCOMING CHALLENGES IN THE REFUGEE CONTEXT
Significant challenges persist, including a lack of adequate training space, insufficient resources like computers and internet, and difficulties in securing funding and legal identity. The leaders also face issues related to trust from external partners and the inherent limitations of operating within a refugee camp setting, such as limited social networks for fundraising.
EXPANSION PLANS AND COMMUNITY IMPACT
Expanding the programs means acquiring larger facilities to accommodate growing demand, as current spaces are limited. It also involves securing more diverse funding streams beyond individual donors to sustain and grow operations. The organizations aim to empower more refugees to become self-reliant, contribute to the economy, and even employ members of the host community, demonstrating the value and capability of refugees.
THE ROLE OF TRANSPARENCY AND INNOVATION
Transparency in operations, including meticulous record-keeping and reporting of fund usage, is a key principle for these CBOs, impressing partners like the Design Thinkers group. They creatively adapt processes, using locally available materials for prototyping and demonstrating their innovative problem-solving skills, even when facing resource constraints. This approach builds trust and encourages further support.
CALL TO ACTION AND FUTURE OUTLOOK
The session concludes with a strong call for more support to enable these organizations to expand their reach and impact. The leaders emphasize that while Eileen's support has been invaluable, she cannot carry the load alone. The ultimate goal is to equip refugees to become global citizens and self-sufficient individuals, transforming their own lives and communities.
Mentioned in This Episode
●Organizations
●People Referenced
Program Graduates and Staff Count
Data extracted from this episode
| Organization | Total Graduates/Trained Youth | Peace Campaign Training Attendees | Paid Staff | Volunteers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advocacy Initiative for Youth Development (AIYD) | 1000+ youth trained | 6300 | 23 | 12 |
| Resolve Africa | 320 women (hairdressing) | 13 | 4 | |
| 8 (tailoring initial) | ||||
| 10 (tailoring next group) | ||||
| 210 youth (music/video/movie production) | ||||
| Total (Resolve Africa) | 520 (women and youth) | 13 Paid + 4 Volunteers = 17 Total | ||
| Kakuma Vocational Center (KVC) | 250 students | 15 facilitators |
Common Questions
The Migration Summit is a month-long global event organized by various partners, aiming to connect diverse communities around challenges and opportunities for refugees and migrants. This year's theme is education and workforce development in displacement.
Topics
Mentioned in this video
Executive Director and Co-founder of Normal, and an organizer of the Migration Summit.
An educator and mentor to refugee leaders, leading the session and introducing the founders of community-based organizations serving refugee youth in Kakuma camp.
Founder of Advocacy Initiative for Youth Development (AIYD) in Kakuma camp, Kenya. He shared his journey from DRC Congo, his English learning process, and how he started AIYD with the support of Dr. Winiker.
A student in Abengo's computer basic class who spoke about the need for support with training packages and funds.
A supporter who provided a screen to Abengo's organization in Kakuma and was planning to teach social media skills.
Founder of Resolve Africa, a community-based organization in Kakuma camp. He shared his journey from DRC Congo and how his organization empowers women and youth through vocational training.
Founder and CEO of Kakuma Vocational Center (KVC). He shared his journey from DRC Congo and how KVC provides hands-on projects, design thinking, and maker space activities for children and youth.
A member of the Design Thinkers group from the US who has worked with KVC, emphasizing their transparency and innovative use of local resources.
An organization co-founded by Lorraine Charles, involved in organizing the Migration Summit and supporting refugee communities.
An organization that co-organized the Migration Summit.
An organization that co-organized the Migration Summit.
An organization that co-organized the Migration Summit.
A community-based organization founded by Abengo Anore in Kakuma camp, focusing on digital skills, leadership, conflict resolution, and business management for youth. It aims to break poverty cycles and increase job placement.
A community-based organization founded by Catalan Mopenge Fabrice in Kakuma camp, focusing on empowering refugee women and youth through training in hairdressing, tailoring, music production, video production, and movie production.
A community-based organization founded by Mata Bishi in Kakuma camp, aiming to employ refugees and the host community by providing tools and skills for a better future through maker spaces, design thinking, and innovation.
An organization that provided Mata Bishi with a woodworking course and curriculum, which helped him start his maker space activities.
An organization offering free courses for non-profits, which Dr. Winiker and the refugee leaders participated in to learn fundraising and storytelling skills.
A group from the US that collaborated with KVC, teaching design thinking processes and skills.
Mentioned as a reality affecting refugees and leading to strict government measures on community organizations.
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