Nando (Nanduri Sateesh)

We are grateful to have received timely funding from the Eastern and Southern Africa Humanitarian Fund to support coordination of the multi-sector refugee response in Kenya. It will help sustain life-saving and essential services for refugees and asylum seekers across Kenya

“In the blink of an eye, we became homeless.” Severe storms in Kakuma have damaged shelters & left hundreds of displaced families exposed. UNHCR and partners are providing emergency assistance, but urgent support is needed as rains continue. Help now: bit.ly/3OgLPc9

Earlier this week in Dadaab, I had the honour of receiving delegations from Humanity & Inclusion (HI) and the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), two partners whose sustained presence and principled engagement continue to shape protection and inclusion outcomes for refugees and host communities in one of the world’s most protracted displacement contexts. Dadaab today faces complex, overlapping challenges: chronic underfunding, camp congestion, climate‑induced shocks, deteriorating infrastructure, rising protection risks, and growing psychosocial distress driven by prolonged uncertainty. These pressures are compounded by a large population of women and children, youth, older persons, persons with disabilities, survivors of violence, and individuals living with less visible vulnerabilities, whose needs too often remain under resourced. In discussions with Margaret Nguhi, HI Country Director, and Marie‑Cécile Turner, Regional Director for Central, Eastern and Southern Africa, we reflected on HI’s critical work, from physical rehabilitation, provision of assistive devices, and functional therapy, to disability inclusion mainstreaming and community‑based psychosocial support. We agreed on the urgent need to scale up Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), particularly for refugees experiencing trauma, social isolation, and long‑term dependency. Equally important is strengthening support for older persons and people with unseen or multiple vulnerabilities, whose dignity, autonomy, and care are increasingly strained by service gaps and resource constraints. My engagement with Simon Nzioka, DRC Country Director, and James Curtis, Executive Director for East Africa and the Great Lakes, underscored the centrality of high quality protection services at a time when humanitarian financing continues to shrink. DRC’s work in Dadaab, including protection monitoring, legal assistance, child protection, GBV prevention and response, and community‑based protection remains vital as risks related to documentation, movement restrictions, negative coping mechanisms, and violence persist. We reaffirmed the need to protect quality, accountability, and access, even as we adapt to fiscal realities. Looking ahead, we must collectively improve inter‑agency coordination, invest in data and evidence to better target limited resources, and strengthen community engagement, ensuring affected populations are agents of change rather than passive recipients. As we advance the implementation of the SHIRIKA Plan and the continued rollout of the GISEDP, deeper collaboration, inclusion, and innovation will be essential to navigating today’s constraints while laying the foundations for more sustainable outcomes. I commend both HI and DRC for their impactful and principled work in Dadaab, and I look forward to strengthening our partnership as we collectively respond to evolving needs with clarity, solidarity, and resolve. #Dadaab #HumanitarianAction #Protection #DisabilityInclusion #MHPSS #Refugees #Partnership #AgingWithDignity #SHIRIKA #GISEDP #LeaveNoOneBehind

Access to specialized skin care remains limited in Kakuma 🇰🇪 Together with @WHOKenya, @TurkanaCountyKE, @ILDSDerm & @IFDerm, dermatologists provided free treatment and care to 2,000+ refugees and hosts. Thank you to all our partners for bringing care to those most in need.

Medical care included neglected tropical diseases and serious conditions such as cutaneous leprosy and onchocerciasis. 15 health workers also participated in a hands-on training to help ensure care continues in the community beyond the medical camp. @KenyaRedCross @IRCKenyaCD

For years, Vodafone Foundation has been our long-standing partner in expanding access to learning🧑‍🎓connectivity🛜 and digital skills 💻 During a visit to Kakuma, we discussed how to sustain connectivity and strengthen the Instant Network Schools programme for greater impact.

In Kakuma, safe and durable shelter is helping refugee families leave overcrowded reception centres and begin rebuilding their lives with greater stability and dignity. Read more on what that means for Sofia and Bahati here unhcr.org/africa/news/st…

This week, UNHCR Dadaab hosted a diverse private sector delegation in Dadaab, bringing together representatives from financial institutions, higher education institutions, private foundations, and leaders from the aviation industry. The visit provided an important opportunity to explore shared value partnerships that can support sustainable economic inclusion for refugees and host communities, while aligning with Kenya’s national development priorities. The engagements were guided by the SHIRIKA Plan, Kenya’s transformative framework that seeks to transition refugee camps from reliance on humanitarian assistance into self‑sustaining economic ecosystems, integrated within county and national economies. Conversations were also anchored in the Garissa Integrated Socio‑Economic Development Plan (GISEDP) and the evolving strategic direction of the Dadaab Municipality, ensuring coherence between refugee response, local development planning, and private sector engagement. A key component of the visit involved field‑based site visits and direct engagement with refugees. Delegates met refugee entrepreneurs, students, artisans, and community leaders to better understand lived experiences, aspirations, and the practical constraints faced in accessing finance, education, skills development, and markets. These exchanges were critical in grounding investment discussions in real-world opportunities and challenges, and in highlighting the resilience, talent, and entrepreneurial potential that already exists within Dadaab. Through these interactions, the delegation gained insight into the breadth of opportunities across sectors such as financial inclusion, higher education pathways, skills and workforce mobility, logistics and aviation connectivity, renewable energy, and local enterprise development. Importantly, the discussions demonstrated how refugee and host community inclusion is not only a social imperative, but also an economic opportunity that can deliver measurable returns when supported by the right policies and partnerships. Private sector investment remains a crucial accelerator for advancing this agenda. In close collaboration with the Government of Kenya, county authorities, development partners, and humanitarian actors, we are working to strengthen the enabling environment required for responsible investment, innovation, and long‑term sustainability. Dadaab continues to evolve from a site of protection to a platform for investment, partnership, and inclusive growth, where refugees are not just beneficiaries, but active contributors to local and national development. #SHIRIKA #GISEDP #PrivateSectorEngagement #SharedValue #RefugeeInclusion #EconomicInclusion #Dadaab #InvestmentForImpact #RefugeeVoices #Kenya

As a host country, flexible donor and multilateral ally, Germany strengthens our ability to help refugees, from emergency response to finding solutions to end displacement. Today @GermanyUNGeneva Amb Leendertse met HC @BarhamSalih to discuss shared priorities & the path forward.

High Commissioner @BarhamSalih met with @NickDyerFCDO today, reaffirming the strength of UNHCR's partnership with the UK. They had a thorough discussion on the continued relevance of the 1951 Refugee Convention and safeguarding the international protection regime.

“The impact on civilians across the region is profound. This region needs peace." UN High Commissioner for Refugees @BarhamSalih, said to @euronews on the crisis in the Middle East.

UNHCR is pleased to welcome a high‑profile filming initiative underway in Dadaab through a partnership between the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS), one of South Korea’s leading television networks. The project will culminate in a major television documentary to be broadcast nationally on SBS, bringing global attention to the realities of displacement, the resilience of refugee communities, and the life‑saving work being carried out on the ground in Dadaab. At a time of severe global funding constraints, this initiative offers a powerful platform to highlight both the critical needs and the tangible impact of humanitarian action. The documentary will be hosted by renowned Korean singer and television personality Jang Min Ho, whose involvement is expected to elevate the storytelling, broaden audience reach, and engage new global audiences with the human stories behind the statistics. His presence brings visibility, credibility, and empathy to the narrative of displacement and protection. This collaboration underscores the importance of strategic media partnerships in amplifying refugee voices, sustaining solidarity, and reminding the world that behind every crisis are people, potential, and hope. We look forward to supporting this initiative and to sharing Dadaab’s story with a global audience. #Dadaab #Refugees #ForcedDisplacement #HumanitarianAction #IRC #UNHCR #MediaForGood #GlobalSolidarity #LeaveNoOneBehind #StorytellingForImpact

This week, I was honoured to welcome Ms. Mercy Mwasaru, Commissioner for the Department of Refugee Affairs, on her maiden visit to #Dadaab, a visit of real significance at a time when Kenya’s refugee response is undergoing a profound transition under the SHIRIKA Plan. The visit went beyond formal engagements. It provided an important opportunity to align perspectives on the evolving refugee policy landscape, reaffirm shared responsibilities between national leadership and field operations, and reflect on how SHIRIKA’s shift from care and maintenance to inclusion, self‑reliance, and shared prosperity must be grounded in lived realities to deliver durable and dignified solutions for refugees and host communities. The Commissioner’s engagement with partners through an inter‑agency roundtable further reinforced the spirit of SHIRIKA; collective leadership, coordinated action, and whole of system thinking. Discussions focused on the future of refugee affairs in Kenya, the operationalisation of development‑oriented approaches, and the need for innovation, accountability, and partnerships that endure beyond humanitarian cycles in protracted displacement contexts. For over three decades, Dadaab has stood as a symbol of resilience, solidarity, and international cooperation. As Kenya advances bold policy frameworks that integrate humanitarian response with long‑term inclusion and socio‑economic integration, such high level visits matter. They anchor policy in practice and ensure that the voices, challenges, and aspirations of refugees and host communities remain central. We look forward to working closely with the Commissioner and all stakeholders to translate shared policy vision into meaningful, lasting impact. #SHIRIKAPlan #DurableSolutions #RefugeeInclusion #PolicyInPractice #Dadaab #RefugeeAffairs #WholeOfGovernment #HumanitarianDevelopmentPeace #RefugeeProtection #SharedResponsibility

Warmest wishes on Nawroz—the ancient celebration of light over darkness and renewal with the arrival of spring. In a time of profound challenge and conflict across the region, may it bring hope, peace, and a season where life, dignity, and humanity prevail.

نەورۆزتان پیرۆز بێت… نەورۆز، دیرۆکی بەرخۆدانە بۆ ئازادی، هێمای نویبونەوە، و سەرەتای بەهار و بوژانەوەیە. ولەم کاتەدا کە شەڕ بەرۆکی ناوچەکەی گرتۆتەوە، با هیوا بخوازین ساڵی نوێ ببێتە مایەی ئاشتی و ئارامی و سەروەری مافی مرۆڤ.

Eid Mubarak from all of us at UNHCR Kenya. On this day of reflection, gratitude and togetherness, we send our warm wishes to all who celebrate. We stand with refugees and host communities across Kenya, and wish everyone peace, hope and blessings this Eid.

Eid Mubarak. As conflict and displacement across the Middle East continue to scar lives, we must renew our shared commitment to peace, protection, and human dignity. May this Eid be a moment of reflection—and a turning point toward peace, stability, and hope for all.

Thank you @UKinKenya 🇬🇧 for visiting Kakuma to engage with the Gov’t, humanitarian and Dev. partners. @FCDOGovUK’s support is helping deliver health, nutrition, WASH & essential assistance, while strengthening government-led refugee response for refugees and host communities.

Kenya is home to one of Africa’s largest refugee populations. At Kakuma Refugee Camp, I met people displaced by conflict, and partners working to help them find safety and rebuild their lives. Canada is supporting education, skills training, and humanitarian aid.