as of May 2025
Children & Younger
Living below poverty line
Out-of-school adolescents
Kakuma is a vibrant, multilingual tapestry. While primarily composed of South Sudanese and Somali residents, it is also home to large communities from the DRC, Ethiopia, Burundi, Sudan, and Rwanda.
Over 50% are children and youth. For many, Kakuma is the only home they have ever known.
We work with the Turkana people, indigenous pastoralists. 92% of the host population lives below the poverty line.
Living in Kakuma means navigating extremes. In early 2025, the region swung from a five-year drought to violent flash floods, washing away vulnerable riverbed farms.
Recent funding shortfalls have forced cuts to food rations under 45% of minimum needs. For families here, self-reliance is not a buzzword—it is a race against hunger.
Only 41% transition to secondary school. The out-of-school rate for adolescents is a staggering 88%.
Allowing residents to work and trade legally.
Transitioning camps into sustainable urban settlements.
Refugees trading and contributing to the Kenyan economy.
Equipping youth with job-ready skills in coding and design through our renewable energy-powered hub in the heart of Kakuma.
Supporting micro-entrepreneurs with training, mentorship, and market linkages to drive local economic self-reliance.
Amplify voices in policy spaces and strengthening RLOs for greater social and economic inclusion.
Holistic, play-based learning environments promoting social-emotional development for the youngest residents.
Learn, Earn, Innovate
Solidarity Initiative for Refugees (SIR) is a community-based organization established in 2016 in response to the pressing challenges faced by refugees in Kakuma, Turkana County in Kenya.
Copyright © 2026 Solidarity Initiative for Refugees
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