Business is booming in Kalobeyei – and here is why.
Business is booming in Kalobeyei – and here is why.
When Charlotte Feza fled the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2022, She never imagined she’d be running her own small business just two years later. She arrived in Kenya with little more than hope and one of her six children. The rest remained behind in DRC.
Now based in Kalobeyei settlement, Charlotte is part of one of 15 women’s groups selected by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to work at a new food processing hub.
Constructed by FAO with funding from the European Union, the hub provides a clean, well-equipped space for women to prepare food, grow their businesses, and earn an income.
“This hub changed my life,” says Charlotte. “I can now provide for my children and build a future.”
Ekyoci Vanuelle poses for a photo outside the food hub in Kalobeyei settlement.
For 24-year-old Ekyoci Vanuelle, also from DRC, the journey was equally difficult. She arrived in 2022 with five children and began baking bread from home. But with limited tools, her earnings were barely enough.
After joining La Charité, another women’s group supported by the hub, her work took off.
“Now I have proper equipment, a safe place to cook, and my income is more stable,” she says. “I want to inspire other women to believe in what’s possible.”
Just as the food hub has opened doors for women entrepreneurs, a new 7-kilometre road in Kalobeyei is connecting entire communities to possibility.
Constructed by UNHCR with funding from the European Union, the road is a vital link between markets, services, and livelihoods for both refugees and host communities.
Niyonkuro Asmani with his motorbike on tarmac road in Kalobeyei settlement.
“This road has truly changed Kalobeyei,” says Niyonkuro. “Business is growing, and transportation is now much easier. It has helped so many of us.”
Niyonkuro Asmani, a 34-year-old Burundian refugee, now earns a living transporting passengers by motorbike.
With better access, Asmani’s income is steady, and his ability to support his family in Kakuma has improved. The road has also enhanced security and cut transport times, allowing goods to move faster and people to travel more safely.
From food security to financial independence, these EU-funded projects are helping communities in Kalobeyei find stability and dignity after displacement.
