Danish Refugee Council Seeks Local Partners to Transform Economic Recovery in Kenya's Refugee-Hosting Communities
Kakuma, 6 May 2026
Kenya’s largest refugee implementing partner opens partnership opportunities targeting Turkana County, where over 300,000 refugees reside alongside communities facing 77%-82% poverty rates. The initiative aims to strengthen economic recovery, protection services, and peacebuilding programmes across seven sub-counties in the North Rift region. This development coincides with recent investment activity, including the Refugee Investment Facility’s first Kenyan investment in Lifta Kenya, a water bottling company employing 60% refugees in its casual workforce and generating 80% of sales within refugee settlements.
Partnership Framework and Regional Focus
The Danish Refugee Council’s expression of interest, published today, seeks partnerships with local organisations, Women-Led Organizations and Refugee-Led Organizations to strengthen Economic Recovery, Protection and Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding sector-based projects [1]. The programme targets six sub-counties in Turkana County—including Turkana Central, Turkana West, Loima, Lokiriama, Lokichokio, Turkana North, and Turkana South—alongside North Pokot in West Pokot County [1]. DRC has operated in Kenya since 2010 as UNHCR’s largest implementing partner in the refugee response, managing extensive programmes in refugee hosting areas including Kakuma and Kalobeyei [1].
Economic Recovery Objectives and Community Impact
The Economic Recovery sector aims to support conflict and displacement-affected people to meet their needs independently, with a focus on food security, financial inclusion, and decent livelihoods [1]. This initiative addresses critical challenges in Turkana County, which had a projected population of 1.0 million in 2024 and faces poverty rates ranging from 77% to 82% [1]. The technical approach involves integrated WASH, Economic Recovery, Protection, and HDP interventions, including skills development, cash-based assistance, gender-based violence risk mitigation, and peacebuilding activities [1]. The programme specifically targets strengthening resilience, self-reliance, and well-being of vulnerable households through these integrated interventions [1].
Private Sector Investment Demonstrates Commercial Viability
The partnership announcement comes amid growing commercial interest in refugee-hosting areas, exemplified by the Refugee Investment Facility’s first Kenyan investment announced on 5 May 2026 [2]. RIF provided senior secured growth capital to Lifta Kenya Limited, which operates in Kakuma and produces up to 60,000 litres of bottled water per day whilst running Northern Kenya’s first PET crushing and recycling plant [2]. Approximately 80% of Lifta Kenya’s sales are generated within refugee settlements in the Kakuma area, which hosts more than 300,000 refugees and asylum seekers [2]. Refugees account for about 60% of the company’s casual workforce and 44% of permanent staff, demonstrating significant employment creation within displacement-affected communities [2].
Application Requirements and Timeline
Eligible organisations must be legally registered Public Benefit Organizations operating in the North Rift region, with clear constitutions and at least two years of experience in Turkana and/or West Pokot Counties, demonstrating expertise in relevant thematic areas [1]. Proposals must be submitted by 17:00 on 20 May 2026 via email to KEN-Partnerships@DRC.NGO in Word format and English language [1]. Questions or clarifications can be sent to the same email address at least one week before the deadline [1]. The investment by RIF will be used to expand production capacity, scale recycling operations, strengthen working capital and support job creation for both refugees and host communities, according to Fredrick Oloo, Senior Investment Associate at iGravity, who noted that ‘the transaction demonstrates the potential for commercially viable businesses to emerge in displacement-affected areas’ [2].