Project location(s):

Nairobi County and South Sudan

Project Overview

Refugees in Nairobi, numbering over 80,000, face heightened psychosocial stress due to limited access to healthcare, education, and sustainable livelihoods. Compared to those in camps, urban refugees often lack structured support systems, exposing them to overcrowding, discrimination, and economic hardship. A 2020 study by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) indicated that urban refugees in Nairobi experience higher levels of depression and anxiety than other groups, with women and children disproportionately affected.

Recognizing these challenges, Basic Needs Basic Rights (BNBR) Kenya, together with Nivishe Foundation, developed this program to expand access to mental health services, strengthen resilience through livelihood skills training, and foster integration between refugees and host communities. The program also builds on BNBR’s ongoing work in South Sudan by providing organizational development support to CPSO, enhancing its financial management and technical capacity for sustainable delivery of mental health and livelihood interventions.

The project addresses the urgent psychosocial and livelihood challenges faced by refugees living in urban environments, particularly women and children who are most vulnerable to trauma and displacement-related stressors. By delivering Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) sessions, livelihood empowerment initiatives, and community dialogues, the program seeks to improve well-being, enhance resilience, and promote social cohesion between refugees and host communities.

Implementing partner(s)