RLO Education Incubation Fund (Kakuma)
Project Title: Empowering Refugee Children and Families Through Safe Learning, Social Development, and Sustainable Livelihoods
The project, implemented by Farming and Health Education (FHE) in Kakuma Refugee Camp, aims to improve the well-being, protection, and development of refugee children aged 4–8 through safe learning spaces, social-emotional learning (SEL), and family empowerment initiatives. The project provides daily after-school programs at the FHE Centre where children engage in literacy, numeracy, play-based learning, creativity, and mental health and psychosocial support activities. In addition, environmental clubs are being established in schools to promote ecological awareness, kitchen gardening, and climate action among children and youth. Parents and caregivers are trained in positive parenting, SEL facilitation, conflict resolution, and sustainable agriculture practices such as kitchen gardening to strengthen household resilience and child well-being. The project also promotes community ownership through leadership structures, home visits, mentorship, and partnerships with schools and community stakeholders to ensure long-term sustainability and impact.
During the first quarter of 2026, the project successfully enrolled and supported 83 children through the FHE after-school SEL program, maintaining an average attendance rate of 80%. Five facilitators remained actively engaged in delivering daily learning and psychosocial support sessions. The project also reached 52 parents through parenting sessions, home visits, and social-emotional learning activities focused on positive parenting and child well-being. Significant improvements were recorded in children’s emotional regulation, peer relationships, and problem-solving skills, with behavioral incidents reduced by 75% and positive peer relationships increasing from 48% to 90%. Additionally, 52 families were reached through community outreach activities, while partnerships with schools expanded interest in environmental clubs targeting over 120 learners. The project further strengthened community resilience by forming a parenting support group where mothers now support one another through social-emotional learning, conflict resolution, and child care practices while also improving livelihoods through kitchen gardening initiatives.
One of the key lessons learned from the project is that integrating social-emotional learning (SEL) with parenting support and livelihood activities creates stronger and more sustainable outcomes for refugee families. Children showed improved confidence, emotional regulation, communication, and peer relationships when caregivers were actively involved in reinforcement activities at home. Home visits and continuous engagement with parents proved highly effective in improving attendance, reducing behavioral challenges, and strengthening trust between families and facilitators.
The project also demonstrated that play-based learning, storytelling, music, games, and peer support approaches are effective tools for promoting mental health and psychosocial well-being among young children in humanitarian settings. Another important best practice was the formation of parenting support groups, which created safe spaces for mothers to share experiences, support one another emotionally, and learn positive parenting and conflict resolution skills together. These groups also encouraged women to engage in kitchen gardening and sustainable livelihood activities to support household nutrition and child welfare.
Collaboration with schools and community leaders further strengthened project ownership and sustainability. Flexible community-based approaches, including adapting activities to local realities and involving families directly in decision-making, significantly improved participation, inclusion, and long-term engagement within the program.
