Living in difference and in common: urban refugees and convivial cultures in Kenya
Lead Research Organisation:
International Institute for Environment and Development
Department Name: Human Settlements Group
Abstract
This project seeks to improve knowledge on how relationships between urban refugees and local communities contribute to building trust and maintaining peace in Kenyan towns and cities. It explores the ways in which peaceful coexistence can be promoted between communities that have different cultural backgrounds, but share the challenges associated with urbanisation and poverty. It also seeks to strengthen an existing international network that brings together academic researchers in the Human Settlements Group at (IIED), with two institutions in Kenya: SDI-Kenya (a federation of organised low-income urban communities) and Koch Films (youth-led participatory film-makers).
Together the network will explore and document positive relationships and interactions between urban refugees and host populations in urban centres in Kenya, as well as sites of tension and mistrust. New knowledge will be generated through the use of participatory research methods, including urban ethnographic walks and documentary film-making. It will focus on three themes:
1. Community-based slum upgrading: how a federation of slum dwellers in Nairobi (SDI) has expanded its scope of work to ensure slum improvement processes are inclusive of forcibly displaced people, and that municipal authorities are aware of their challenges, aspirations and perspectives;
2. Protection of vulnerable people: how local grassroots safehouses established and run by the Kenyan-Somali community protect women in vulnerable situations and navigate relationships with the UN refugee agency and the local police;
3. Shared local livelihoods: how relationships of trust and cooperation are built through shared local livelihoods, and what factors and actors contribute to economic and social well-being in market hubs where urban refugees work.
This knowledge will be disseminated in a range of media, to inform different audiences. Alongside an article for academic publication, evidence generated by the project will be used to develop recommendations and a policy briefing for national and municipal governments, and for the UN refugee agency, to support protection of urban refugees and promote more inclusive cities. It will also inform a documentary film that shares the experiences of urban refugees and promotes public debate on peaceful coexistence between urban refugees and local populations. The film will be screened to local and international audiences.
Together the network will explore and document positive relationships and interactions between urban refugees and host populations in urban centres in Kenya, as well as sites of tension and mistrust. New knowledge will be generated through the use of participatory research methods, including urban ethnographic walks and documentary film-making. It will focus on three themes:
1. Community-based slum upgrading: how a federation of slum dwellers in Nairobi (SDI) has expanded its scope of work to ensure slum improvement processes are inclusive of forcibly displaced people, and that municipal authorities are aware of their challenges, aspirations and perspectives;
2. Protection of vulnerable people: how local grassroots safehouses established and run by the Kenyan-Somali community protect women in vulnerable situations and navigate relationships with the UN refugee agency and the local police;
3. Shared local livelihoods: how relationships of trust and cooperation are built through shared local livelihoods, and what factors and actors contribute to economic and social well-being in market hubs where urban refugees work.
This knowledge will be disseminated in a range of media, to inform different audiences. Alongside an article for academic publication, evidence generated by the project will be used to develop recommendations and a policy briefing for national and municipal governments, and for the UN refugee agency, to support protection of urban refugees and promote more inclusive cities. It will also inform a documentary film that shares the experiences of urban refugees and promotes public debate on peaceful coexistence between urban refugees and local populations. The film will be screened to local and international audiences.
| Title | Far Away from Home |
| Description | The AHRC grant supported the documentary film "Far Away from Home," a collaboration between young, self-taught community filmmakers (Koch Films), urban refugees, and researchers from IIED. "Far Away from Home" begins with mainstream representations of refugees, before the lens is shifted and urban refugees become narrators of their own stories. In this documentary, urban refugees become the guides of the city they call home, navigating the vibrant, bustling streets of Nairobi, and sharing accounts of both welcome and hostility. Through intimate interviews and on-the-ground footage, the documentary highlights critical issues such as the struggle for proper documentation, encounters with discrimination, and the persistent threat of police harassment and arrest. The film captures the intricate ways policy challenges intersect with daily lives, but, despite the adversity, Far Away from Home also shines a light on the rich contributions that migrants make to Nairobi's culture and economy, showcasing how they are integral to the city's dynamic fabric. The film centres urban refugees' joys, hopes, and aspirations, offering a poignant portrait of the city's - all cities' - ultimate changemakers: migrants. A participatory, engaged approach informed the film, allowing urban refugees to decide how they want to be depicted and what elements of their story they would like shared. They have seen and commented on various iterations of the film and approved the final version. They are very proud of it and call it "our film". |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Impact | The film was selected for two international film festivals: The Filmmakers Without Borders film festival and the Tokyo International Film Festival. It received an Award of Merit at the Filmmakers Without Borders film festival. The film has also been screened to policymakers in Nairobi at Nairobi City County Government (NCCG) as part of the activities leading up to the launch of Nairobi's Refugee Inclusion Strategy, allowing refugee experiences, and stories to inform discussions around the Strategy's launch. The film has also been screened at refugee-led organizations in Nairobi, to local communities, enabling discussions around refugee representation and voice. |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MxlqQnHO6o |
| Description | Some research findings that have emerged so far: 1- The importance of social networks for accessing aid and assistance. Networks enabled information sharing and so when aid provisions shifted - as they often do - updates and alerts were shared within networks about what aid is available through whom and when. A notable example was during Covid-19, when better connected refugees learnt of, and were able to access, housing allowances in Nairobi. Refugees with weaker networks were left out. The types of social networks also matter. For example, a refugee from Congo who had developed very strong social networks entirely with host populations found those very beneficial for accessing education and securing employment. However, it was only when they developed networks with other refugee communities, years later, that they were able to register as an asylum seeker and secure personal identification documents. In other words, they had no access to the humanitarian system without a social network of other refugees. 2- Traditional administrative authorities, like neighbourhood Chiefs, can play an enabling role in supporting social networks. For example, refugees in Ruiru, where the local Chief is supportive of refugee residents, reported stronger social networks and better access to humanitarian assistance, even though this should be available equally to all refugees. This materialised through a range of support mechanisms, from receiving aid (even if for short periods) to facilitation with opening bank accounts (which remains very challenging for most refugees in Nairobi). In contrast, refugees in other neighbourhoods, where the political context is less welcoming, often reported feeling isolated and having no access to assistance. They also did not describe themselves as feeling "at home," while refugees in Ruiru did so. This points to the importance of welcoming and inclusive local political cultures, including the role of traditional administrative authorities, such as Chiefs, and the potential for humanitarian actors to forge relationships with local actors. The success of Chiefs in securing better services for refugee residents appears linked to refugee communities' increased capacity to organise themselves in welcoming environments, as exemplified in Ruiru. In key informant interviews, Chiefs of other neighbourhoods such as Eastleigh described an openness to dealing with urban refugee challenges but explained that they are often approached with numerous individual requests rather than dealing with coordinated concerns, impacting their effectiveness at addressing collective challenges refugee residents face. By contrast, refugees in Ruiru kept up-to-date registers of their community members and promptly shared them with the Chief. New members were added immediately, and a periodic roll call was also maintained, with this information communicated to the Chief. Within such a system, refugees did not have to seek help individually and accessing assistance became more efficient and based on collective need. 3- LGBTQIA+ refugees rarely had social networks they could tap into at the point of arrival. Kinship networks, which many cis-hetero refugees can turn to initially regardless of any prior contact, were unsafe for LGBTQIA+ refugees. Many fled unsafe homes and none mentioned receiving support from family members after arriving in Nairobi. One participant from Somalia shared that they had hidden from their extended family, who were also refugees in Nairobi, for fear that they would attack them based on their gender identity. This underscores that for LGBTQIA+ refugees persecution is often enacted through social networks, and they can be unsafe as well as traumatic. LGBTQIA+ refugees were also slower to develop networks they can depend on after they arrive. While some were eventually very successful at creating networks of support, including through LGBTQI+ community-based organizations and employment cooperatives, many remained very isolated. Factors included trust being more challenging and mistrust more prevalent (including, sometimes, of other LGBTQI+ refugees in safehouses). 4- The importance of places of worship for refugee support. Almost all refugee participants in the project took the researchers to a place of worship during the walking interview and marked it as an important city infrastructure for them. They were often first ports of call for urban refugees arriving in the city, particularly for those with no kinship-based networks, and unaccompanied child refugees. This includes refugees whose relationships with places of worship as institutions are complex, such as LGBTQIA+ refugees who are stigmatised in most religious teachings. Places of worship gave several refugee participants their first jobs (as caretakers or cleaners) and offered temporary shelter and housing solutions. Places of worship continued to be important spaces for developing friendships and social networks after first arrival. They were often mentioned as spaces where supportive and respectful refugee-host relationships could develop, in contrast to other city spaces where host-refugee encounters were most often described negatively. Refugees reported being treated with respect and dignity at places of worship, in stark contrast to their experiences in other public spaces in the city. 5- LGBTQIA+ refugees are very shelter insecure. Almost all reported very frequent house moves and periods of homelessness (two were experiencing homelessness at the time of the interviews). This was largely driven by frequent experiences of violence from neighbours, and attempts to pre-empt it by not staying in one place for too long. This had a particularly destabilising effect on LGBTQI+ refugees' capacities to build and sustain networks, further compounding their vulnerability and isolation. Other research findings still under analysis through publications in the pipeline: 6- Refugees are contributing to Nairobi's culture and economy in important ways. Expanding Nairobi's food scene is a clear example. The creation of new markets is also a strategy to avoid direct competition with Kenyan vendors, which carries risks of harassment and intimidation. By expanding Nairobi's food scene, refugees also make Nairobi a more welcoming space for migrants generally, allowing more communities to make Nairobi home, and contributing to its convivial culture. 7- Refugees are active in Kenyan civil society, engaging in existing networks, creating their own organizations, as well establishing new ways of working and living based on solidarity. These new social, economic and political formations can be inclusive of Kenyans as well, especially in the case of LGBTQIA+ refugees. |
| Exploitation Route | The outcomes of the research point to the need for more coordinated humanitarian responses to urban displacement that : 1) are inclusive of local actors such as Chiefs, 2) provide resources for refugee communities to organise themselves, 3) utilise existing spaces that are established urban refugee destinations for support, such as places of worship, and 4) address the gap in shelter provision to meet the protection needs of LGBTQIA+ refugees. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Government Democracy and Justice |
| Description | Yes, they have contributed to raising the profile of urban refugees amongst policymakers and improving understanding of the challenges and issues they face (through the film that was produced with and alongside the research); they have contributed to members of refugee communities feeling that their stories can be narrated on their own terms (through their engaged participation in the film that was produced in parallel with the research); and they have increased the capacity of community filmmakers Koch Films (young, self-taught filmmakers who grew up and still live in informal settlements in Kenya), by introducing them to research practice and working with them to innovate how research findings can inform documentary filmmaking. Amongst the policymakers who have been engaged are an Assistant Director at Nairobi City County Government who have utilised project outputs (including the film) in their own programming and activities at the city government. In this way, project outputs have been used to garner support for policy processes under progress at the city government level and to spread awareness and recognition amongst peers and gain institutional backing for more progressive policy adoption. Specifically, project outpurs were used to educate and raise awareness amongst Nairobi City County Government representatives (as well as national stakeholders including the Department of Refugee Services) of the opportunities for the city of hosting refugees and to promote the Refugee Integration Strategy due to be launched in April 2025. Outputs were also used by Refugee-Led Organizations to host discussions with local communities about how to support refugee communities. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Impact Types | Societal Policy & public services |
| Description | Urban refugees in East Africa |
| Amount | £170,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | IKEA |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | Sweden |
| Start | 03/2023 |
| End | 12/2024 |
| Description | Dr Tucker Landesman, Senior Researcher, IIED joining project team |
| Organisation | International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | IIED's research team working on the project were committed to pursuing an intersectional approach and engaged Dr. Landesman for advice on ethics and safeguarding in relation to including LGBTQI+ refugee participants in the project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Dr. Landesman supported the project with resources from separately held funding available to him to support a gender sensitivity training workshop for project team members (UK and Kenyan researchers, partners at SDI Kenya, and filmmakers from Koch films) that was conducted by Amka Africa Justice Initiative. |
| Impact | Outcome: Methodology evaluated in terms of safety and risk mitigation for LGBTQI+ research participants. Outputs: Blog by trans-rights activist on experiences and struggles of LGBTQI+ refugees as they try to establish new lives in Nairobi (Silent battles, resounding strength: the lives of tarnsgender refugees in Kenya: https://www.iied.org/silent-battles-resounding-strength-lives-transgender-refugees-kenya) |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | New partnership to include refugees from LGBTQI+ community in the study |
| Organisation | Amka Africa Justice Initiative |
| Country | Kenya |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | IIED supported an expansion of the project focus to include members of the LGBTQI+ community of urban refugees, which was done through a partnership with Amka Africa. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Amka Africa Justice Initiative brought in their expertise from working with gender and sexual minorities and helped us include research participants from these groups. |
| Impact | Two research participants from the LGBTQI+ community of urban refugees in Nairobi were recruited through this collaboration. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Susan Kimani, Assistant Director at Nairobi City County Government |
| Organisation | Nairobi City Council |
| Country | Kenya |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | The research team collaborated with Susan Kimani, Assistant Director for Youth at Nairobi City County Government (NCCG), to host a screening of the AHRC-funded film "Far Away from Home" to a range of municipal stakeholders at the Nairobi City County Government (NCCG). The screening was followed by a moderated discussion on the challenges and contributions of urban refugees to the city. The research team at IIED funded the costs of the screening from additional funding secured outside of the AHRC grant and supported the development of the agenda for the event. The partnership furthered the reach and impact of the AHRC-funded film. It enabled the raising of challenges urban refugees face, in their own words, directly to policymakers for discussion, and highlighted urban refugees' contributions to the city. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners at NCCG led on the organization of the event, including the mobilisation of stakeholders from municipal and government authorities and community representatives to ensure widespread and representative attendance. Partners at NCCG moderated the discussion around what the city can actively do to respond to some of the challenges the film raises, and how it can benefit and grow from recognising the opportunities offered by hosting refugees. They also planned the screening specifically for the lead up to the launch of Nairobi's Refugee Integration Strategy (in April 2025) in order to sensitise stakeholders on the Strategy and garner support for it. |
| Impact | Output: a film screening of "Far Away from Home" attended by policymakers and stakeholders across city and national authorities in Nairobi followed by a moderated discussion. Outcome: better understanding among policymakers and stakeholders of the challenges faced by urban refugees and the opportunities for the city of including them. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Engagement with Department of Refugee Services (DRS) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Mr Jack Makau, project partner and Associate Director at SDI Kenya, met with the Deputy Commissioner at DRS and shared initial findings from the project. Discussions revolved around DRS's role in supporting urban refugees, the contributions of refugees to host cities, and how Kenya can support its economy by better integrating them. Further, Mr. Makau learned of DRS planned approaches to implementing the New Refugee Act. He was invited to share further findings from the project to inform the implementation of the New Refugee Act. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Engagement with Nairobi County City Government (NCCG) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Mr Jack Makau, project partner and Associate Director at SDI Kenya, met with Assistant Director of Youth Affairs at Nairobi County City Goverment (NCCG) and shared initial findings from the project. Discussions revolved around the contributions refugees make to the City, and how the City can support its local economy by better integrating them. Further, Mr. Makau learned of NCCG's planned approaches to implementing the New Refugee Act. He was invited to share further findings from the project to inform the implementation of the New Refugee Act. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Film Screening and Debate: Far Away from Home: Exploring City Responses to Refugees |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This hybrid event explored innovative city responses to refugee hosting from the global South and North. It focused on inspiring examples from Bristol, UK, known for its 'sanctuary city' model, and Nairobi, Kenya, where a groundbreaking refugee strategy has recently been approved. The event opened with a special screening of 'Far Away From Home', an AHRC-funded film that follows the lives of urban refugees navigating Nairobi's dynamic streets. Created in collaboration with young community filmmakers, urban refugees and researchers, the film offers an intimate look at the daily struggles and aspirations of refugees and asylum seekers in an urban context. Following the screening, the panel explored lessons learned from different city responses and offered reflections on how urban strategies can reshape the future of refugee hosting. Participants examined how cities can lead the way in building inclusive, resilient communities for displaced people. The PI of the ESRC-funded Protracted Displacement in an Urban World study, Lucy Earle, introduced and moderated the event, and the Co-I, Alison Brown, spoke on the panel. Both referred to the special issue of the journal Environment and Urbanization that they recently co-edited, that features a number of articles related to the project. This event was hosted by IIED in partnership with the Mayors Migration Council and was supported by Bristol University's Migration Mobilities Bristol Research Institute and Ashley Community and Housing (ACH) Bristol. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.iied.org/far-away-home-exploring-city-responses-refugees |
| Description | Film screening at Nairobi City County Government |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | 50 municipal stakeholders attended a screening of the AHRC-funded "Far Away from Home" film including representatives from Nairobi City County Government (NCCG), representatives from government ministries and MP offices, chiefs and other administrative authorities, civil society organizations, and refugee representatives and leaders. This was followed by a moderated discussion on the challenges urban refugees face and on the opportunities for the city of including them more proactively. The screening was part of the activities organised to promote Nairobi's upcoming launch of its Urban Refugee Integration Strategy. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Film screenings at refugee-led organization in Nairobi |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Refugee-led organization (RLO) Umoja Refugee Creative organised two screenings of the AHRC-funded "Far Away from Home" film attended by 40 participants from the local community (refugees and hosts), and representatives from local administrative authorities (neighbourhood chiefs) and civil society organizations. This was followed by a moderated discussion and group exercises on the challenges urban refugees face and what cities should prioritise in order to help refugees thrive and contribute to the city's growth. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Website to share projet outputs |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Created a project webpage on the IIED website (which generated 945,863 page views in 2024), linked to the Urban Displacement Collection. The project webpage will share all project outputs, including the documentary film the grant funded, which will be embedded on the webpage alongside publications as they are published. The YouTube upload of the "Far Away from Home" film has generated 250+ views in the 3 weeks since it has been listed publicly. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.iied.org/inclusive-nairobi-refugee-accounts-life-city |