Lilo*, a Congolese refugee living in the Kalobeyei Integrated Settlement camp in Turkana County, 20 kilometers from Kakuma, is busy making bags in honor of World Refugee Day.
A mother of six, Lilo, departed the Congo in 2017. “I used to host a local radio show.
I learned some crucial information about the rebels one day while seeking for articles. They came to my house that evening when I was at the radio station, beat up my kids, and stole my husband,” says Lilo.
“Then they came for me, covered my head with a sack, and carried me to a forest where I was raped and beaten by more than ten guys. They dumped me at the side of the road because they believed I was dead due to how badly I was bleeding.
After being taken to the hospital, I left with my kids for Kenya two days later. Later, my spouse found his way here.
The Kalobeyei Handicraft Cooperative is made up of 178 refugee women, including 28 women from the Turkana neighborhood.
The Enhancing Women’s Resilience in Kalobeyei Integrated Settlement through Integrated Livelihood Interventions project of UN Women Kenya led to the establishment of the cooperative, which is housed within the business incubation facility.
The project’s goal was to provide vulnerable women in humanitarian settings—especially survivors of GBV—with possibilities for a living.
According to Idil Absiye, a Peace and Security Specialist with UN Women Kenya, “the absence of livelihood possibilities is a contributing cause to sexual and gender-based violence at the camp.”
Idil explains that giving women the chance to work is “[hence] a vital step that will enable them fend for themselves in the camp and where they will go after.”
The cooperative creates artworks including jewelry, baskets, fashion bags, garments, and purses using traditional skills that have been upgraded to reflect modern trends and are offered on both the domestic and foreign markets.
“We assist at-risk women and survivors of gender-based abuse. Esther Ekure, the cooperative’s project entrepreneurship officer, adds,
“And to improve harmony between the two groups, we have included women from the host community.
We encourage them to make decisions in their capacity as women in charge of their households and to use the stipend they receive to increase their nutritional value by buying items that are not included in the UNHCR basket, says Esther.
We are currently getting ready for World Refugee Day. The products will be sold at a stand that we have reserved, explains Esther. Esther continues, “In 2019, we made more than $1,000 USD.”
overcoming COVID 19
When COVID-19 struck in 2020, the cooperative had to adjust and follow regulations to stop the virus from spreading. While the tailors worked in shifts, the women had to make the beaded baskets from the comfort of their homes.
“I distinctly recall Esther bringing a medical mask and asking us to copy it,” Lilo says, “We tried so many times before we succeeded.
“I gave the UNHCR the prototype, and they later bought 500 masks. We became quite busy as soon as other businesses started placing their orders.
I recall the largest order we received was for 25,000 masks, and we were able to remit 2.5 million KES (21,256 USD) to the cooperative as a result, says Esther.
Recovery path
The cooperative provides the women with business management, saving, and record-keeping training.
“My husband couldn’t believe it when I first received 25,000 KES from the cooperative. Lilo says, “He had to come here to confirm. “I have friends in this group, and because of them, I can smile and feel like a normal person once more.
My husband values me more because I bring the money to the table, and he has been assisting me in caring for our children.
Due to the global travel bans put in place as a result of COVID-19, some product lines saw a decline in sales. The cooperative’s secretary, Regina Nanok, a resident of the host town, is pleased that the ban has been lifted.
“Jewelry design and beading are my main areas of interest. After a decline in sales, we are now once again making sales. Even guests are coming to our center,” she claims.
Women’s Leadership, Empowerment, Access & Protection in Crisis Response (LEAP): Promoting the Empowerment of Women and Girls within the Humanitarian- Development Nexus in Kenya is a livelihood project that UN Women is collaborating on with Don Bosco in Kalobeyei Integrated Settlement under the sponsorship of the Government of Japan.
At the Kalobeyei Handicraft Cooperative, the project has been assisting 206 women who are employed as refugees and members of the host community.