Easing Refugee Pressure on Host States and Communities: The Contribution of Faith-Based Organisations in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya

The global refugee protection regime assigns to states the primary responsibility of protecting refugees. Nevertheless, the overwhelming number of refugees, combined with the growing hostility towards them, has led to significant gaps in refugee protection. This situation calls for enhanced assistance from organisations empathetic to the plight of refugees. Faith-based organisations (FBOs) exemplify such entities. Therefore, this article examines how FBOs ease the refugee burden on host states and communities. Grounded in functionalist theory, this qualitative study analysed data from interviews, focus groups, and field observations. Results indicate that FBOs considerably lessened refugee pressure on the Kenyan government by supplementing service delivery to refugees. Additionally, FBOs reduced refugee pressure on host communities by fostering peaceful co-existence through conflict resolution and peace-building initiatives. The study concludes that FBOs surpassed the expectations of most refugee protection stakeholders. It advocates for enhanced collaboration and support to sustain their vital contributions in refugee-hosting contexts.