As we mark World Refugee Day 2025 under the theme "Solidarity with Refugees", it's time to not only honor the resilience of displaced communities but to recognize their tangible contributions to Kenya’s socio economic fabric. Refugees are not just recipients of aid - they are entrepreneurs, educators, changemakers, and economic actors.

At Youth Voices Community (YVC), we have witnessed this transformation firsthand. Our programs, rooted in localization and led by refugee youth, are bridging the gap between humanitarian support and sustainable development. In 2024 alone, we disbursed over KES 4.8 million to support 50 refugee entrepreneurs and 20 self-help chama groups across Nairobi. These groups - comprising tailors, food vendors, beauticians, and digital freelancers - are rewriting the narrative of what refugee inclusion looks like. The rise of local chama groups emerging from our programs at YVC stands as one of the most inspiring examples of refugee-led economic empowerment and grassroots community resilience.

The Power of Local Chama Groups
Chama groups have mushroomed into local engines of resilience. With 14 - 25 members each, these groups are more than savings circles; they are incubators for women-led innovation, community finance, and social solidarity. But they face major hurdles: formalizing operations, accessing capital, and dealing with regulatory burdens such as business licensing and tax obligations. Despite these challenges, many have opened joint bank accounts, grown their savings, and even expanded to employ others -  actively contributing to market integration and local economic growth.
One group leader from Kangemi told us, “Our group evolved from informal to empowered.” That empowerment is measurable - some groups grew their funds by over KES 400,000 and are now networking with others for peer learning and co-investment.

From Survival to Scale
Among the 50 entrepreneurs we supported, over 56% reported business growth exceeding 50%, with reinvestments ranging from KES 1,000 to 70,000. Their businesses fund food, healthcare, and education - not just for their families but for their communities. More than 23% hired new staff, showing that with the right support, refugee-owned businesses create jobs and broaden Kenya’s tax base.
But despite this success, donor trust remains a barrier. Refugee-led organizations often face skepticism around their capacity to manage large funds, despite having systems, results, and proximity. The lack of due diligence frameworks that fit grassroots realities continues to exclude refugee voices from the development table.

Building Systems, Not Silos
The global humanitarian system is under pressure. Funding is dwindling, and the old model of emergency aid is no longer sufficient. What’s needed is a paradigm shift: from charity to partnership, from dependency to agency. This aligns with Kenya’s Shirika Plan, the IGAD Support Platform, and global development goals like SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
Social enterprise, as a concept, sits at the heart of this shift. Through our  digital livelihood program - DIGIKAZI , acronym for Digital works -  a skills program, we trained over 44 refugee youth in coding, cybersecurity, and design - 10 of whom have formed a tech startup, Cre8tive Tech. These are the new faces of refugee potential: job creators, not job seekers.

Why Recognition Matters
On this World Refugee Day, we call for more than visibility - we call for recognition. Recognition of the economic value that refugees bring. Recognition of the systems they are already building. And recognition of the refugee-led organizations like ours, which continue to serve communities with commitment, creativity, and impact.
Refugee leadership is not a risk; it is an opportunity.