The Lutheran World Federation / World Service program for Kenya and Sudan (LWF/WS – Kenya Sudan Programme) is appealing for funds to continue assistance to 87,000 refugees in the Kakuma refugee camp situated in Turkana region of Kenya. In addition to providing assistance to the refugees, LWF/WS intends to provide assistance to the local Turkana community as this helps to minimise tension and fights between the refugees and the local people. The Turkana are among the poorest communities in Kenya and assistance to the refugees is mainly seen as making the refugees better off than the local people. LWF/WS working with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Kenyan Government have a moral obligation to also assist the Turkana communities around the camp with some basic social needs such as provision of clean water.

The refugees in the camp are mainly from Southern Sudan (70%) while the rest are from 7 other countries suffering civil conflicts and wars in the region. Although this camp has been in existence since 1992, it still receives new arrivals currently numbering about 800 every month. The current law of Kenya restricts refugees from employment in the formal sector and therefore, fully depend on the assistance given by the international community. However, formal education and training in various skills is provided by various NGOs working in the camp to prepare the refugees to participate and contribute in the development of their countries when they finally return to their home countries.

As the main implementing partner to UNHCR in the camp, LWF/WS is responsible for a number of activities including overall camp management which includes the security of refugees in the camp. The proposed assistance in this appeal includes; secondary school and teacher training education, food and non food items, water and sanitation, peace building and conflict resolution, community empowerment, and assistance to the host community. The appeal is for 12 months to 31 December, 2004.

Project Completion Date:

31 December 2004

Signed by:
Thor-Arne Prois, ACT Director

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

Kenya - Refugee Assistance in Kakuma - AFKE41 (file size: 81 Kb)

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