As we live our lives it is easy to get wrapped up in the ups and the downs. We feel depressed when we get stuck in traffic or get home and discover a pile of dirty dishes that need washing. Worries and woes of many kinds beset the average Westerner, usually, they are everyday issues, and occasionally more tragic things occur. Everyone has relevant struggles and no one knows the darkness within your mind. No one can judge your struggle as unworthy or less than. While the struggles of the average housed and well-fed Westerner are certainly worthy of commiseration and respect, the truth of the matter is that around the world many people are facing fates that would make our woes and worries pale in comparison. The daily realities facing refugees in the Kakuma Refugee camp of Kenya, especially LGTBQ refugees who face persistent persecution from their fellow refugees, are hard to envision for people living comfortably in the Western world.
The Kakuma refugee camp has existed since 1992 when it was founded in order to give a home to refugees from the Sudanese civil war. Unfortunately, continued political, environmental and economic strife in the surrounding region has only generated more crises since the camp’s inception and the population of the camp has grown to around 250,000 individuals. While this may sound bleak, there is a silver lining surrounding this staggering statistic. A report from the World Bank in 2016 showed that the refugee camp has a net positive impact on Kenya’s economy – the strong-spirited refugees have worked against staggering odds to make each day matter, acting as boons to the Kenyan economy and displaying the resilience and ingenuity of humanity first-hand. With unified political purpose and steadfast collaboration, the Government of Kenya together with the Turkana County Government and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has implemented an innovative program that focuses on increasing the economic contributions and self-reliance of the refugees and the communities that host them. It’s truly inspirational to hear about the resilience, intelligence and fortitude displayed by the refugees of the Kakuma Camp and the Government officials working alongside them. They focus on delivering enriching education and employment opportunities for children and families, creating brighter tomorrows – they deliver healthcare, access to energy and avenues for refugees to develop new skills. Unfortunately, not all of the refugees in the camp are getting equal access to the available benefits.
While the great minds of the Kenyan government and refugees from the surrounding areas churn out new pathways for human life to flourish there is sadly growing injustice emerging in the Kakuma camp as well. Personal accounts from LGTBQ individuals in the camp tell a harrowing story of abuse, harsh judgment and a lack of access to essential camp resources with no help from local police forces or authorities. Amnesty International and the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission have documented a growing exclusionary and derogatory political framework within the camp and a staggering number of inhumane acts targeting LGBTQ individuals since 2018. The 2021 Refugees Act makes great strides to establish social standing, rights and opportunities for refugees and helps to establish law and order within refugee camps where people find themselves displaced for long periods of time; however, in conjunction with the 2023 Family Protection Bill that outlines harsh punishments for same-sex relationships and simply existing as a homosexual in Kenya, the Refugees Act emboldens a civil framework for the oppression of LGTBQ people and creates a social environment where it is acceptable to carry out unwarranted and unpunished violence against members of the LGTBQ community within the Kakuma camp.
Because of the Kenyan government’s condemnation of LGTBQ individuals, members of the queer community and their families, especially trans individuals, have experienced heinous treatment at the hands of their fellow refugees and at the hands of government officials managing the Kakuma camp. A report by Amnesty International outlines the unfortunate legislative process as it unfolds and documents 41 cases of harrowing experiences lived by gay, lesbian, queer and trans individuals. Human beings already living under extremely challenging circumstances are suffering rape, physical attacks and robberies, and when they go to the authorities who are supposed to protect them they are being scoffed at, receiving no sympathy or help. LGTBQ refugees are not only attacked and persecuted by their neighbors but they are also denied healthcare, education and many of the other opportunities that their fellow refugees have access to, making their difficult lives even harder. One refugee that I spoke to personally described their situation as a “death ground” with little hope for survival. The 2021 Refugee Act is a great piece of policy that brings more agency to the fingertips of refugees who need it direly, but when coupled with The Family Protection Bill it extends harmful laws and sentiments to a group of people who could bring great things to Kenya and to the world with just a fraction of the support we have in the Western World. The coupling of these two policies opens the floodgates for violence against LGTBQ refugees and quashes their hopes and dreams.
Make an effort to put yourself in the shoes of a person who has been forced away from their home, forced to make a new life in a strange land, and then faced violent discrimination solely based on their sexual identity within a community that would ideally offer them love and support. As a community of empathic people, we may not be able to do much to change the views of the Kenyan Government or change the minds of those who have hatred in their hearts, but we can make an effort to reach out to the LGTBQ refugees in the Kakuma Camp through social media with words of love and encouragement or we can donate to their new GoFundMe page. Monetary aid will help give them access to services that they desperately need, or maybe even allow them to find a way to relocate to homes that are more loving and welcoming to people like them. Their main goal is to find a way to leave the Kakuma Camp where they are currently living through inhumane and unsustainable conditions.
Compassion and understanding are the great salves that can heal humanity and reveal the fellowship that we all share. Remember to treasure what you have, and don’t get caught up thinking your life is terrible. There are people living in terrible circumstances who keep their heads high and smile wide – they fight for their lives every day with every fiber of their being. You and I can help those people. We can help the most embattled and abused members of the Kakuma refugee camp. I encourage you to find compassion within your heart and make a contribution with words or financial assistance today. With love for all humans, we can build a better tomorrow for the people who need it most.
Community of Hearts 
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