In Kakuma and Kalobeyei, integration means dignity, jobs and basic services

Participants engage in open discussion on livelihoods, education, water and health services in Kakuma. [Bakari Ang'ela, Standard]

Returnees, refugees, and host communities in Kakuma and Kalobeyei are still grappling with unemployment, overstretched schools and clinics, water shortages, and weak infrastructure, even as integration is promoted as the long-term answer to displacement, a stakeholders’ forum has heard.

For many families, the promise of a fresh start often collides with the reality of limited opportunities. Parents worry about school fees and crowded classrooms. Young people search for work in places where jobs are scarce. Health centers serve growing populations with limited staff and supplies. Water points stretch to meet rising demand.

Those realities, drawn from research and lived experiences, framed a participatory dialogue in Kakuma that brought together community members, refugee-led groups, civil society, and government officials to chart practical solutions for reintegration and coexistence.

The meeting was convened under the Local Leadership East African Return and Reintegration Network (LLEARN), a regional partnership funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development.

The initiative works across five countries in the region to strengthen locally led return and reintegration by putting communities at the center of planning and governance. Its approach encourages listening first, then acting on what communities say they truly need.

At the heart of the discussions were human stories: families trying to rebuild after conflict, young people with education but no jobs, mothers walking long distances for water, and host community residents worried about pressure on limited services.

Some spoke about the pain of losing homes and starting over. Others spoke about resilience, small businesses started with little capital, children who remain committed to school despite hardship, and neighbors helping each other across community lines.

For many participants, integration is not a policy term but a daily reality that determines whether life improves or stagnates. It affects dignity, stability, and the sense of belonging.

Philis Njeri, a programme officer with YVC, said the forum was designed to turn data into action and ensure communities help shape the solutions that affect them.

“We conducted our data exercise in July, looking at what is happening regarding integration in Kakuma Refugee Camp and Kalobeyei Municipality. We spoke to different people, including vulnerable groups and community leaders, to understand how integration is happening and what can be done better to ensure durable solutions take priority,” she said.

Participants engage in discussions on livelihoods, education, water and health services in Kakuma during a meeting convened under the Local Leadership East African Return and Reintegration Network. [Bakari Ang'ela, Standard]

According to Njeri, the research aimed to go beyond numbers and reports. It focused on listening to real experiences and identifying practical gaps.

“We looked at education, environment, employment, and infrastructure. But we also asked who should be in these discussions and who should be accountable so that, in the long run, we have practical solutions. The municipality is a service provider, and we want it to deliver better for everyone,” she said.

Participants included representatives from the Ministry of Interior, the Department of Refugee Services, county authorities, international and local NGOs, refugee-led organisations, and community leaders.

Youth and women representatives shared their experiences directly, describing both progress and persistent gaps. Their contributions highlighted how integration affects different groups in different ways.

Some host community members spoke of classrooms filled beyond capacity and water points serving growing populations. Refugees and returnees talked about limited job opportunities and the frustration of having skills but few chances to use them.

A host community representative, Simon Ekiru, said residents support inclusion but worry about pressure on services.

“We welcome our refugee brothers and sisters because we live together here. But our schools, water, and health facilities are few. When services are stretched, both the host and refugees suffer. We need support that benefits everyone,” he said.

Local administrators acknowledged the strain on services as the municipality expands. They noted that planning and coordination are becoming more important as populations grow.

George Dralagar, working with the LLEARN consortium, said the approach is to let evidence guide decisions rather than assumptions.

“We are a collaborative partnership working with local partners across five countries. Here we are focusing on the municipality and the challenges facing refugees, host communities, returnees, and internally displaced persons.

The data we collected is now informing how inclusive programmes and policies can be delivered,” he said.

He described the participatory forums as shared spaces where actors meet on equal footing and speak openly.

“These are city-level platforms where civil society, government, and other stakeholders jointly create solutions, set priorities, and bridge gaps identified by research. We have identified key entry points where partners can commit and align their projects, especially in urban planning and service delivery,” Dralagar said.

He emphasized that integration cannot be treated only as a humanitarian matter.

“It has social, economic, and political dimensions. We discussed housing, infrastructure, health, WASH, and mobility. Even how refugees move affects access to jobs and services. Inclusion means services must cater to everyone so that no one is left behind,” he said.

For refugee-led organisations, the dialogue signaled that their voices are beginning to count in formal planning spaces.

Bahana Mirindi Hydrogene, Founder and Executive Director of the Solidarity Initiative for Refugees, said the platform allowed refugee groups to speak about real needs instead of assumed ones.

“As refugees and refugee-led organisations, this was an important opportunity. Community-based groups are the ones supporting livelihoods and daily survival. This forum helped us map the priorities and challenges facing both refugees and host communities,” he said.

He stressed that integration must be matched by tangible improvements.

“You cannot speak of a functioning municipality without water, drainage systems, schools, health care, and jobs. If these are missing, then integration remains a concept rather than a reality,” Hydrogene said.

Stories shared at the forum underscored the human side of policy. A mother described choosing between buying water and buying food. A young man spoke of finishing training but failing to secure work. A host community elder spoke about the need for fairness so that support strengthens harmony rather than competition.

One refugee youth, John Deng, raised concern about training without recognition.

“We train in local facilities here in Kakuma. We gain skills, but many times we are not given certificates. Without certificates, it is hard to prove what we know when looking for jobs,” Deng said.

Another refugee, Amina Hassan, pointed to movement restrictions as a barrier to opportunity.

“Travel documents are a big challenge. Sometimes we are not allowed to move freely even within the county, let alone going to towns like Eldoret or Kitale for work or study. This limits our future,” Hassan said.

Such testimonies reminded participants that behind every statistic is a personal story. They also highlighted that both refugees and host communities carry burdens and hopes.

From the education and protection perspective, Carolina Onyango of Jesuit Refugee Service said the meeting reflected what organisations witness on the ground.

“I am happy about this participatory meeting because it captured the real needs of refugees and host communities, especially on integration. It is an eye-opener and a good guide for organisations,” she said.

She noted that the process helps clarify responsibility.

“We are identifying which stakeholders can be approached to bridge the gaps. It connects national, county, and private sector efforts. For organisations, it also informs what we communicate to donors about the priority needs on the ground,” Onyango said.

She added that dignity and self-reliance are central.

“When people achieve sustainable livelihoods, integration becomes meaningful. That is what communities want, a stable and dignified future,” she said.

Across the discussions, one message remained clear: integration is a process that requires trust, coordination, and sustained investment. It demands that host communities feel supported, refugees feel included, and institutions remain responsive.

It also requires patience. Change does not come overnight, and expectations must be balanced with realistic planning and resources.

While the forum did not promise instant solutions, it created a rare space where a refugee, a local leader, a government officer, and an NGO representative could sit together and speak openly about shared challenges and shared futures.

Organisers said the outcomes will inform programming and policy engagement, with partners expected to align future projects with the priorities identified. The aim is to strengthen inclusive service delivery so that both refugees and host communities benefit.

For the international community, Kakuma and Kalobeyei remain important examples of how displacement can be addressed beyond emergency aid, linking humanitarian response with development and governance.

For authorities, they are growing municipalities that require planning, investment, and cooperation among many actors.

For the people who live there, however, the priorities are simple and human: a job, a place in school, clean water, access to health care, and the freedom to build a future.

As one participant reflected after the meeting, integration succeeds not when policies are written, but when a family can finally look ahead without fear.

In Kakuma and Kalobeyei, that hope is still fragile, but many at the forum believe it is a hope worth building together, step by step, conversation by conversation, and action by action.