Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore and Norwegian Refugee Council Deputy Secretary General, Geir Olav Leisle Visit to Kakuma

Kakuma Refugee Camp, 15 Dec. 2015 – Kakuma Refugee Camp hosted Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore and Norwegian Refugee Council Deputy Secretary General, Geir Olav Leisle and the Regional Director, Gabriella Waaijman. The delegation was accompanied by UNHCR KENYA Country Representative, Raouf Mazou and other key staff from UNHCR, Safaricom and Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) offices in Nairobi.

The mission was keen to discuss possibilities and innovative ways of humanitarian agencies and private sector companies working together to support humanitarian programs.

The team was welcomed by Turkana West sub-County Commissioner at his office before heading to the camp where they visited various facilities including the youth program run by NRC. The Youth Education Program is a Livelihoods, Vocational and Life Skills Package that targets youth aged between 16 to 25 years old.

Other innovations that were of interest included the ‘Bamba Chakula’ initiative spearheaded by WFP which relies on the Safaricom network to operate. The team visited a shop where they spoke at length with a trader who outlined how the initiative has impacted his business.

The team also visited one of the boreholes in the camp that UNHCR and NRC plan to solarize. The solarization of boreholes is a key activity that aims to enhance water supply to refugees by reducing energy usage and increase output through solar power.

The team later met with representatives of all agencies in Kakuma where discussions on the economic and social dynamics in Kakuma were held.

The need to explore ways of working with private sector in humanitarian programmes was underscored by the team and the fact that innovation can enhance effective service delivery was the hallmark of the discussions.
The visitors finally planted trees at the NRC compound before departing.

By Cathy Wachiaya, Kakuma Refugee Camp