Kakuma Refugee Camp

 Nonviolent Communication (NVC) Kakuma is a bold, youth-led peacebuilding initiative in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya, where over 200,000 people from more than nine nationalities, including South Sudanese, Sudanese, Somali, Congolese, Rwandan, Burundian, Ethiopian, Ugandan, and Tanzanian, live amidst recurring inter-ethnic tensions and trauma. In this complex environment, NVC offers a lifeline: an accessible, practical approach to healing, connection, and peaceful coexistence.
At its heart, NVC Kakuma integrates the power of Nonviolent Communication with inclusive practices inspired by Sociocracy to transform cycles of conflict into pathways of understanding and collaboration.
We create safe, supportive spaces for refugees, especially youth to reflect on their experiences, listen deeply to others, and resolve differences without resorting to blame or violence. The first NVC sessions brought together young people from communities that rarely sit together peacefully. These sessions became not just a training but a moment of healing and awakening.

Mahad  Musa “In my community, we used to fight. But in these sessions, I learned to see beyond the tribe. I learned to see the person.”
 Participant, NVC Kakuma

Our Approach

We offer dynamic, experiential workshops grounded in the four core components of NVC:
Observing without judgment
Identifying and expressing feelings
Recognizing unmet needs
Making requests instead of demands
Our inclusive methodology also emphasizes:
Listening to understand, not to argue
Seeing beyond tribal and national boundaries to our shared humanity
Honest self-expression that builds trust
Collaborative conflict resolution grounded in empathy
Through this approach, youth begin to change not just how they speak but how they see themselves and others.

Our Vision

We envision a peaceful and resilient Kakuma, where young people lead a movement of inter-ethnic healing and nonviolence, grounded in the principles of empathy, shared power, and connection. We imagine a camp where the divisions of the past give way to a culture of understanding, dignity, and belonging for all.

Our Mission

To expand access to Nonviolent Communication in Kakuma Refugee Camp by creating inclusive training spaces where empathy flourishes, leadership is shared, and healing replaces hostility. Through this, we build a new generation of peacemakers, youth equipped to break cycles of violence and lead with compassion in their communities.

Our Objectives

Train young refugee leaders to become local NVC facilitators and mediators.
Establish regular practice groups to deepen learning and sustain connection.
Build inter-community trust through open dialogue and shared learning.
Attract funding to grow our work and reach more marginalized groups across the camp.
Collaborate with grassroots partners to bring NVC into schools, youth groups, and vulnerable communities.


Every training, every story shared, every listening circle is a step toward peace in one of the world’s most complex humanitarian settings.

Join us. Support us. Share our story.
Together, let’s build a compassionate, connected, and peaceful future starting in Kakuma.

🌱 Donate today or become a partner in healing through empathy and collaboration. 🌱