SIR

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Solidarity Initiative for Refugees (SIR) is a local community-based organisation established by a group of young refugees with the goal of using technology to equip refugees in Kakuma with the skills and tools to create a better future for themselves. Solidarity Initiative for Refugees (SIR) is a community based organization that helps refugees and host community by facilitating the E-learning (hi

gh education), teaching special skills (web design, app development) and providing youths with BPO jobs (online/offline jobs)

19/08/2026

The most effective refugee solutions are not designed for communities. They are designed with them.

As a refugee-led organization, our greatest strength is not simply proximity to the community, it is lived experience. We understand the barriers because we have navigated them ourselves. That perspective allows us to build programmes that respond to real challenges instead of assumed ones.

This year, our work strengthened refugee-led organizations, expanded economic opportunities for women and youth, supported parents to become champions for children's development, advanced digital livelihoods, and amplified refugee voices in policy conversations. Every intervention was rooted in one belief: those closest to the challenge are often closest to the solution.

We are proving, through evidence and impact, that refugee communities possess the knowledge, leadership, and capacity to shape their own future when trusted with the opportunity.

We are deeply grateful to our donors, strategic partners, and supporters who continue to invest in refugee-led leadership and community-driven solutions.

We invite you to read our Jan –June 2026 Bi-Annual Report:
https://lnkd.in/dp-EqJJ5

17/08/2026

Last week, we were honoured to host Sandra Uwac,Africa Regional Director of the International Trade Centre (ITC), at our Kakuma offices to reflect on a year of partnership and impact.

Through our collaboration with ITC, more than 250 young refugee and host-community women and adolescent girls have been equipped with digital skills and exposure to e-commerce and the digital economy.

During her visit, Sandra engaged directly with participants, hearing how these skills are translating into new opportunities, income generation, confidence, and greater economic independence.

For young people in Kakuma, digital inclusion is more than access to technology. It is a pathway to participate in the economy, create livelihoods, and build a more independent future.

We are proud of what this partnership is making possible and look forward to strengthening and expanding this impact.

14/08/2026

Twenty young creatives onboarded to Animated Voices of Kakuma program, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter where refugee youth are not only learning animation but also becoming storytellers, creators, and owners of their own narratives.

It is an investment in creative talent, digital livelihoods, and the future of Africa's creative economy. For too long, refugee stories have been interpreted through external lenses. Through Animated Voices of Kakuma, they will gain the skills to transform their lived experiences into powerful animated stories that reflect their realities with authenticity, creativity, and dignity and build portfolio, a professional asset, and a pathway to employment, freelancing, and entrepreneurship in the global digital marketplace.

We are proud to partner with 𝗕𝘂𝗻𝗶 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 and grateful to 𝗨𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗖𝗢-𝗜𝗙𝗖𝗗 for believing in the creative potential of refugee youth and investing in opportunities that foster innovation, self-reliance, and economic inclusion.

13/08/2026

Thousands of young people across Kenya, including refugees and host community members, are eager to build sustainable livelihoods. Yet barriers to skills, business support, and decent work continue to hold them back.

Solidarity Initiative for Refugees (SIR) joined World University Service of Canada (WUSC - EUMC), Global Affairs Canada | Affaires mondiales Canada and other ecosystem actors last month for the STEP Project Implementation Planning Workshop, a key milestone in launching the (STEP) Project.

Working in Kakuma, Kalobeyei, Dadaab, and surrounding communities, STEP will strengthen pathways to entrepreneurship, TVET, digital employment, and decent work for displaced and host community youth.

Building on our experience implementing the LEAP project with WUSC in Kakuma, and on our decade of work supporting refugee youth education and livelihoods, we're proud to be part of this collaborative effort to advance inclusive economic growth for displaced and marginalized populations

12/08/2026

Mastered the basics? Now it’s time to upskill.

The 𝟮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗞𝗮𝗸𝘂𝗺𝗮 is now open for applications.

Build advanced 2D character animation skills, learn from industry professionals, access digital animation equipment, and develop a professional portfolio.

𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝘆 4 September 2026.
🔗 https://tinyurl.com/2cxdySzp

03/08/2026

For years, refugee-led organizations had the vision, the trust of their communities, and the solutions but many lacked the legal recognition needed to fully operate, access funding, build partnerships, and scale their impact.

Without formal registration, many refugee-led initiatives remained invisible despite delivering life-changing services. They could not open bank accounts, apply for grants, or establish the credibility required to partner with governments, donors, and humanitarian actors.

Today, the narrative is changing.

This quarter, through our partnership with Independent Diplomat, with support from the Government of the Netherlands, and in collaboration with the Directorate of Social Services, UNHCR, and county government partners, we are supporting 12 refugee-led organisations to obtain their registration certificates, beginning with pre-registration training led by the government Directorate of Social Services on group formation and development, leadership and governance, group constitution, resource mobilisation, record keeping, and conflict management.

This means they can now:
• Operate legally and credibly.
• Open bank accounts and access funding opportunities.
• Build trusted partnerships.
• Expand their impact while serving the communities they know best.

As Kenya advances the Shirika Plan, this marks a significant shift toward meaningful refugee leadership. Refugees are no longer only beneficiaries; they are becoming recognized leaders, innovators, and partners in shaping solutions for their own communities.

31/07/2026

The future of refugee economic inclusion is digital and that future cannot be built by training alone.

Last week, we were proud to join partners in the Turkana Digital Freelancers Association (TDFA) engagement, supporting the International Trade Centre (ITC) in shaping a stronger digital work ecosystem for Kakuma and the wider Turkana region.

For years, refugees have proven they have the talent.

They are software developers. Web designers. Digital marketers. Filmmakers. Photographers. Data annotators. Creative designers. Virtual assistants. Freelancers serving clients beyond borders.

Yet talent alone has never been enough.

The real challenge has been access to professional workspaces, trusted networks, global opportunities, legal protection, and recognition within Kenya's growing digital economy.

That is what makes TDFA different. Rather than creating another training programme, TDFA is building the ecosystem that enables digital professionals from both refugee and host communities to thrive. Through a shared talent registry, coordinated workspaces, stronger representation, and pathways to labour protection, digital freelancers can compete, collaborate, and grow as one professional workforce.

Aligning closely with the vision of the Shirika Plan moving beyond humanitarian assistance towards economic inclusion, self-reliance, and meaningful participation in Kenya's economy.

At SIR, we believe refugee-led organisations must be at the centre of designing these solutions because we understand both the challenges and the untapped potential within our communities.

27/07/2026

Over the past eight months, we didn't just fund businesses. We unlocked economic independence for more than 6O refugee women have been defined by what they lacked.

Through Lift One, Empower Two, we have trained more than 100 refugee women with practical business and financial skills. We have provided seed capital to over 60 women, enabling them to transform business ideas into thriving enterprises.

Today, more than 60 women are running businesses they built themselves. They have opened bank accounts, joined savings groups, invested in their enterprises, increased their household incomes, and gained the confidence to make financial decisions for themselves and their families.

But the greatest transformation isn't measured by the number of businesses we have supported.

It's measured by the choices women can now make.

Women who once relied entirely on humanitarian assistance are now generating income, building assets, supporting their children's education, and creating opportunities that strengthen their families and communities.

Today, as we finalize the last cohort of Lift 1, Empower 2 Program, They are proving that, with the right opportunity, mentorship, and investment, poverty does not have to define the future.

Our sincere appreciation to our partners and donors for believing in refugee women and investing in a model that continues to transform lives, one entrepreneur at a time.

21/07/2026

What if your next skill could help you tell stories, earn an income, and reshape how the world sees Kakuma?

Applications are now open for the 𝗔𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗞𝗮𝗸𝘂𝗺𝗮 program an 8-week 2D Character Animation Training designed for refugee and host community youth.

Whether you're a SANARA graduate or already have foundational animation skills, this programme will help you take your creativity to the next level.

What you'll gain:

• Industry-led mentorship.
• Hybrid learning (online + in-person).
• Access to SIR Digital Hubs and professional animation equipment.
• Monthly transport stipend (KES 5,000).
• Support to build a professional animation portfolio.

We strongly encourage women and persons with disabilities to apply.

𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲: 21 July 2026.
𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝘃𝗶𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸: https://ee.kobotoolbox.org/x/2Eye7jlx

20/07/2026

Last week, with support from UNHCR Innovation Service, 30 young and single mothers took their first step into garment making, fashion, and design not simply to learn how to sew, but to build a pathway toward economic independence.

For many of these women, this is the first opportunity to gain a practical, income-generating skill. They are single parents carrying the full responsibility of providing for their children, often with little or no formal education and limited access to employment opportunities.

Too often, development programs focus on those who already have educational advantages. We are intentionally doing something different. We are investing in women who are too often overlooked. Through this training, participants will develop skills in garment making and fashion entrepreneurship, preparing them to create their own products, start small businesses, earn sustainable incomes, and support their families with dignity.

The real impact isn't learning to use a sewing machine.

• It's a mother who no longer has to rely on unpredictable aid.
• It's a child growing up in a household with greater financial stability.
• It's a woman discovering that her creativity can become a business.
• It's a community where opportunity begins with those who have historically been left behind.

Fashion is one of the world's fastest-growing creative industries. By equipping these women with practical skills, we are opening doors to self-employment, entrepreneurship, and long-term economic resilience.

This is how lasting change begins not by giving temporary support, but by investing in people's potential. Because when a mother earns, a family thrives. And when families thrive, communities become stronger.

Address

Kakuma 3
Kakuma
30501

Telephone

+254796044030

Website

http://www.sirafrica.org/

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