Kenya

Kenya

HIAS staffer Lucy Juwa (R) speaks with South Sudanese refugees in Nairobi, Kenya. (Brian Otieno for HIAS)
HIAS Kenya | Support For Refugees In Kenya | HIAS

Country Director

Doris Kawira

Office Locations

Nairobi: Eastleigh, Kayole, Kawangware, Mimosa

Founded

2002

Staff Size

128

Connect

Doris Kawira

+254 798531053 or
+254 733703726

Kenya is host to close to 560,000 refugees and asylum seekers, primarily from Somalia, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, and other countries in the region. The urban refugee population in Nairobi has increased; around 95,000 refugees and asylum seekers live in Nairobi and other urban areas. Kenya also has nearly 18,500 stateless individuals, many of whom live in Nairobi or the coastal region.

In the early 1990s the Kenyan government established Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps in northeast and northwest Kenya, enacted restrictions on freedom of movement, and limited the criteria for refugees eligible for assistance in Nairobi. Refugees and asylum seekers face a complex legal environment. Through the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework refugees should be able to receive healthcare and education like Kenyan citizens; however, in practice, for many refugees there are barriers to access.

8,751

people reached directly through services and activities in 2021

Our Work

HIAS Kenya integrates best practices based on international standards with a focus on community-based protection and empowerment. We work to advocate and promote durable solutions for refugees, including local integration, safe and voluntary repatriation, and third-country resettlement. HIAS Kenya continues to monitor and adapt programs in response to the government of Kenya’s policies.

We work to protect the right of women, girls, and LGBTQ communities to access their full potential and live free from violence by supporting survivors, mitigating risks, and transforming beliefs that perpetuate GBV.

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HIAS’ community-based mental health programs promote the well-being of individuals, families, and communities affected by crisis and conflict so they can heal and rebuild their lives.

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Our economic inclusion programs ensure that refugees have economic opportunities to earn sustainable income and start their lives anew.

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We provide legal services and support, including free legal representation for asylum seekers so that everyone around the world, including displaced people, can have equal access to their legal rights.

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We work to protect the right of women, girls, and LGBTQ communities to access their full potential and live free from violence by supporting survivors, mitigating risks, and transforming beliefs that perpetuate GBV.

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Impact Story

I Never Thought It Will Happen to Me

Baraka fled his home in Rwanda and wound up in Kenya, where many LGBTQ people from East Africa have gone to escape persecution. HIAS Kenya works with many such refugees, providing shelter, mental-health counseling, and other services that often save lives.

Read more

HIAS’ services are free. If someone tries to charge you for services claiming they represent HIAS, please report it at our confidential email address: ethics@hias.org. HIAS has a zero-tolerance policy on fraud and corruption. 

For any other inquiries please email us at info@hias.org.

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