Kakuma Refugee Camp: A Case Study in Integration Amid Global Humanitarian Retrenchment
Kakuma Refugee Camp, located in Turkana County, Kenya, has undergone a notable transformation since its establishment over two decades ago. Originally conceived as a temporary shelter, the camp now hosts more than 150,000 refugees, primarily from South Sudan and Somalia (Theresa Beltramo and Utz Pape, 2021). Over time, Kakuma has evolved into a semi-urban settlement characterised by a robust informal economy. According...
Xenophobic Vigilantism and the Struggle for Migrant Rights in South Africa
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has urged South Africa’s high courts to uphold international law in protecting migrants and refugees from discrimination and xenophobic violence, as vigilante groups like Operation Dudula continue to escalate tensions (ICJ, 2025). The group, whose name translates to "force out" in Zulu, claims to combat crime, unemployment, and strained public services allegedly caused by undocumented migrants. However, its actions ranging from...
Rooted in Exile: Preserving Culture in African Refugee Communities
Culture and tradition have long stood as pillars of African society, shaping the identities, behaviours, and worldviews of individuals and communities alike. For African children and adults, these elements are not merely ceremonial, they inform social structures, define spiritual beliefs, transmit knowledge, and offer meaningful frameworks for addressing governance and environmental issues. Among displaced populations, however, these foundational elements often face erosion. Refugee camps and communities present a particular challenge to maintaining cultural integrity, Gregory Scarborough the author...
The Reality of International Aid Funding Cuts
The largest number of forcibly displaced people in recorded history is occurring today with various crises around the globe causing 139.3 million people to flee from violence, natural disasters, or instability (UNHCR, 2025). Further, the largest internally displaced crisis in history is happening in Sudan, with 13.7 million people being internally displaced at the end...
The Sudan Civil War: Barriers Across Borders
The Sudan Civil War is a raging conflict whose intense fighting has created the worst Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) crisis in history (UNHCR, 2025). After two years of war, the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center reports that over 11.6 million people are displaced within Sudan, and another four million have fled the country (IDMC, 2025). The central countries that are accepting forcibly displaced Sudanese are the Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan, and Uganda...
Hunger and Displacement in the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and its neighbouring regions are facing a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian crisis, driven by protracted conflict, climate shocks, and economic instability. The resurgence of armed violence, particularly involving Le Mouvement du 23 mars (M23) and the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC), has triggered mass displacement, exacerbated food insecurity, and strained already fragile support systems across the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa. Conflict and Displacement: The...
