Kakuma refugee camp located in the arid Turkana District on the North Western Kenya, border with Sudan, Uganda and Ethiopia, currently has a population of 82,216 refugees, 82% from South Sudan, 15% from Somalia and the rest from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since the establishment of the camp in 1992, Lutheran World Federation / World Service (LWF/WS) has been responsible for the management of the camp working as Lead Implementing Partner to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The durable solution, of refugees returning to their home countries has not been feasible as attempts to reach a lasting solution to the 19 year war between the Government of Sudan (GOS) and Sudan People’s Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M) have not been successful. The camp is instead receiving an influx of 500 refugees from South Sudan every month. The disintegration of the Somali government, political upheavals in Ethiopia and the continued crises in the Great Lakes region discourage the refugees from going home.

The international community through the UNHCR and the World Food Program (WFP) are finding it increasingly difficult to provide basic necessities for the refugees in the camp due to inadequate funding. In 2002 the funding support from UNHCR to implementing agencies, including LWF/DWS for assistance to refugees was reduced during the fourth quarter by about 20%. The funding from other donors has also reduced and it will become extremely difficult to secure. While the resources are dwindling the needs of the growing number of refugees continue to increase and the vast majority of Kakuma refugees remain entirely dependent on food aid. From the community-based planning process undertaken by LWF/DWS in 2002, the refugees are demanding increased intervention on their longer-term development and capacity building priorities. The challenge for UNHCR, LWF/DWS and other NGOs is how to bridge existing gaps in the provision of basic services and at the same time prepare the refugees for future productive lives.

The activities proposed by LWF/DWS for implementation during 2003-2005 will contribute towards the realization and strengthening of refugees' self-reliance, empowerment, care and maintenance. A rights-based and participatory approach will be adopted and further integrated into the working strategies. LWF/DWS has embarked on an intensive skills and knowledge transfer and upgrading and capacity building for the refugee staff, counterparts, leaders and committees. This will be done through training, awareness creation and campaigns, lobbying and advocacy. In this appeal proposal, LWF/WS proposes undertaking the following programs: Girl Education, Teacher Training, Non-formal Education, Community Empowerment, Gender Equity and Attainment of Refugee Rights and Entitlement, Water and Sanitation, Food and non - food Items distribution, and Peace Building and Conflict Resolution.

Project Completion Date:

31 December 2003

Signed by:
Thor-Arne Prois, ACT Director
Geneviève Jacques, Director of Programme, World Council of Churches
Robert Granke, Director, Department for World Service, Lutheran World Federation

For full details of proposals and budgets, please click below to download a PDF file of the entire Appeal.

Kenya - Kakuma Refugee Camp - AFKE32 (file size: 81 Kb)

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