From Refugee to Employer: The Congolese Graduate Rebuilding Lives in Kenya
Kitengela, 12 September 2026
Supported by a Kenyan aid programme, Congolese refugee John Morgan used a 50,000-shilling equipment grant to build a thriving barber shop, employing locals and doubling his daily profits.
From Conflict to the Streets of Kitengela
John Morgan’s journey began in early December 2015 when violent militia attacks in the mountains of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) forced him to flee his home [1]. During the sudden onslaught, Morgan lost his livelihood, including 85 cows and 20 sheep [1]. After a gruelling month-long journey traversing Rwanda and Uganda, he arrived in Kenya in late January 2016 [1]. Despite holding a university degree in business administration, Morgan found himself locked out of formal employment, facing the harsh realities of the informal economy because of administrative barriers regarding work permits [1].
The Wezesha Intervention: Turning Skills into Business
Settling in the bustling Nairobi suburb of Kitengela, Kajiado County, Morgan struggled to find stable footing [1]. He initially worked informal jobs, but without a formal work permit, sustainable progress remained out of reach [1]. His breakthrough came when he joined the ‘Wezesha’ project, a collaborative initiative implemented by the Refugee Consortium of Kenya (RCK) in partnership with the IKEA Foundation [1]. The project selected 25 participants for a comprehensive five-day entrepreneurial skills and business training programme designed to help displaced individuals unlock their economic potential [1]. The training proved to be a turning point for Morgan, who noted that the business counselling and training healed his trauma and helped him find purpose again [1].
Financial Literacy and Community Integration
Crucially, the programme was backed by tangible financial support, providing Morgan with in-kind startup capital worth at least 50,000 Kenyan Shillings (KES) [1]. This grant allowed him to purchase professional barbering equipment, including two clippers, shaving machines, towels, bumpers, and a sink, effectively professionalising his barber shop setup in Kitengela [1]. Before receiving this structured training, Morgan’s daily earnings fluctuated between 800 KES and 1,000 KES, but poor financial management and unmonitored loans meant his actual profits were virtually non-existent [1]. He admitted that he did not track where his money went [1]. However, applying the RCK-taught skills—such as separating business from personal money, maintaining strict savings, and detailed record-keeping—fundamentally transformed his financial outcomes, with daily profits subsequently rising to between 1,500 KES and 2,000 KES [1].
Fostering Integration and Shared Prosperity
With his newfound financial stability, Morgan expanded his business to include a dedicated massage room and increased his staff [1]. His enterprise now employs five people, supporting two families and fostering deep social integration within the Kitengela host community [1]. His team includes his brother, a fellow refugee barber, and two Kenyan single mothers [1]. Through this collaborative business model, Morgan has bridged the gap between refugees and host communities, proving that economic empowerment benefits everyone involved [1]. The two Kenyan single mothers are now able to provide a decent life and education for their children, while Morgan’s own two children are enrolled in a good school [1]. His barber shop stands as a powerful example of how humanitarian aid, combined with local determination, can transform refugees from aid recipients into active employers who drive local economic growth [1].