A person, not a label.

In Kakuma, Kenya, a town near the border of South Sudan we heard stories of loss, pain, resilience, and hope — told by those who lived them.

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Jimmy Westerheim

CEO & Founder

The Human Aspect

Victorya Lunde

Head of Global Partnerships

No one leaves the place they call home unless home has become unsafe. No parent place their child in a boat unless the water is kinder than the earth. No one put their faith in the desert if their feet are not already burning. No family hides in trucks or walks for days unless the end of the road promises safety. No one chooses a camp of plastic sheets as their home unless all other doors are closed.

Inspired by the poem "Home"  by Warsan Shire

Refugee is a constructed legal status, defining the limited rights, but essentially depriving you of rights compared to the residents of the country you are residing.

The public narratives associated with carrying the refugee status, has been shaped over decades of degradation, often limiting our perception of people with a refugees journey, as someone traumatized and in need of help. As a result, many refugees describe feeling ostracized, discriminated against, and hindered—experiences that often lead to loneliness and frustration, in their efforts to build a life for themselves, recover from their experiences, and contribute to society.

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Hear how people with a refugee journey faced challenges, and learn from their strengths, perspectives and skills shaped along the way.

Watch Short Documentary

Thank you to Bajina, Juma, Sabina Stella, Mudadi, Jamal, Julia, and Simon for sharing their lived experiences

with us and a special thanks to Community Liaison Specialist Julius.

This video combines life experiences of people with a refugee journey, with the view of a community liaison specialist that grew up seeing the remote village of Kakuma transform.

Hear parts of their background for leaving their country, the refugee journey, their arrival experiences and how it is to live in a camp. As residents of one of the largest refugee areas in the world with more than 300.000 registered people, Kakuma is located in the north-west of Kenya. A home, since 1992 for people with a refugee background from South-Sudan, Sudan, DRCongo, Ethiopia, Uganda, Somalia and beyond. Developing into a place where thousands of people are born into limbo with the limiting refugee status connected to their identity. 

As community liaison specialist Julius says in the video: Hosting refugees is not synonymous with problems. Kakuma stands as an example. The presence of refugees, is why local businesses are thriving, the town has grown significantly, and thousands of Kenyans have found employment.

The global narrative is gradually shifting. In the next 5 to 10 years, we should hopefully no longer speak of "encampments" or "settlements," but of communities where people live together, side by side. Refugees should be able to work freely, own land, and build their futures — not because it’s generous, but because it’s their right.

We all share a responsibility to foster inclusive societies where refugees are not only welcomed but empowered to rebuild their lives with dignity. This is a human right.

War must never be the norm. Peace must be our priority — so that in the future no one is forced to flee their home in search of safety because of a man-made disaster.

In October 2024, The Human Aspect (THA), in collaboration with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), visited Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, with the vision of amplifying voices that are too often marginalized. The short documentary and full interviews have been integrated into Norwegian Refugee Council’s BLP App (Better Learning Programme).