Photo: ©WFP/Fredrik Lerneryd

As of February 2025, Kenya hosts over 836,000 refugees and asylum seekers from neighbouring countries, including Somalia, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Ethiopia. The majority reside in camps located in remote, food-insecure areas—51 percent in Dadaab and 36 percent in Kakuma—while 13 percent live in urban centres, primarily Nairobi. Kenya itself is increasingly affected by the climate crisis, with recurrent cycles of drought followed by heavy rains and flooding. These events continue to displace communities, destroy livelihoods, and degrade natural resources. 

JOINT HUB SUPPORT

Discussions with the WFP and UNHCR country offices in Kenya began in 2023, with the Joint Hub’s Scope of Work signed off in January 2024. In March 2024, the Joint Hub conducted an inception mission, marking the official start of technical groundwork for the ‘differentiated assistance’ (DA) approach. 

The ‘differentiated assistance’ framework integrates both humanitarian and development interventions, aiming to support the transition of refugees and host communities toward greater self-reliance. It combines humanitarian aid, resilience-building activities, and Government-led social protection to address the diverse needs of affected populations. 

Initially, the Joint Hub’s technical support focused on guiding the process and introducing key concepts such as the Joint Analytical Framework (JAF), targeting methodologies, and appeals/recourse mechanisms. The Hub played a pivotal role at key milestones, providing hands-on support ranging from data analysis to the development of a recourse mechanism. To strengthen collaboration, the Kenya team also hosted a Joint Hub member, fostering communication and coordination between country operations and the Hub team. 

Since late 2024, the Joint Hub has transitioned to a technical backstopping role, helping reinforce and solidify the existing capacity within the Kenya team. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR WORK IN KENYA

• Differentiated Assistance Infobrief (coming soon)