Connecting for Change: How Connectivity is Empowering Women in Kakuma Refugee Camp
Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya is home to nearly 300,000 displaced people, a number that has surged by 30% since 2020 as conflicts and crises continue to displace families across the region. Many of these refugees—particularly women and girls—have fled war, persecution, and extreme poverty, seeking a place where they can rebuild their lives. However, life in Kakuma comes with a new set of challenges: limited access to education, financial independence, and opportunities for growth.
For women and girls in the camp, connectivity is more than just access to the internet—it is a lifeline to education, work, and a chance at self-sufficiency. Without it, their opportunities remain trapped within the camp’s borders. With it, new pathways open toward economic empowerment, personal growth, and a future beyond Kakuma.
At the Rescue Wing Centre in Kakuma, led by Erick Aloise, women are finding support and opportunity in a place where access to education and employment has long been out of reach. unconnected.org is working alongside the centre to bridge the digital divide by supporting digital learning labs, providing women with the tools they need to learn, work, and connect with the world.
A Window to Economic Independence
Before she first connected to the internet six months ago, Monday recalls feeling completely isolated.
"It was impossible to know what was happening in the outside world," she says. "I didn’t even know what opportunities were out there. I felt stuck."
Now, with access to unconnected.org’s digital learning labs, her world has changed.
"It has changed so much for me," she explains. "Now, I see what else is going on, what everyone is doing everywhere else. It gives me some hope."
But hope alone isn’t enough. Women in Kakuma need economic opportunities, and connectivity is giving them just that.
For Nyatiena, the internet isn’t just a source of information—it’s a tool for financial independence. She has already completed a Google Coursera course in data analysis and has started freelancing online, an opportunity that was once completely out of reach.
"It allows me to work in different places, with different people," she says. "Right now, I’m doing freelance work online. I couldn’t do that before. It’s the first time I feel like I have control over my own future."
Freelancing and remote work have become a game-changer for many women in Kakuma. With limited local employment options and high mobility restrictions, traditional jobs are not always an option. But digital skills open the door to a global workforce, where these women can earn an income, support their families, and break free from the cycle of poverty that has held them back for so long.
Education: The First Step to Change
For young women in Kakuma, education is often cut short due to displacement, lack of schools, or cultural barriers. But connectivity is filling in the gaps, allowing girls to continue learning despite the limitations of life in the camp.
Online courses, virtual mentorship programs, and digital skill-building workshops are now possible through the learning labs. Instead of waiting for opportunities that may never come, girls are taking control of their education, setting themselves up for future careers in fields like technology, business, and healthcare.
Amal, who once felt disconnected from the world, now uses WhatsApp and online resources to stay informed and connected with a broader network.
"I never knew the world was so big," she laughs.
For women and girls who once had no access to higher education, digital learning is proving to be the stepping stone to a brighter future—one where their aspirations are no longer limited by geography.
Breaking the Cycle of Gender Inequality
The gender gap in digital access is one of the biggest barriers to women's empowerment in refugee communities. Studies have shown that women in displacement settings are 50% less likely to access digital tools than men, largely due to cost, lack of infrastructure, and cultural norms that discourage female education and employment.
By supporting connectivity in Kakuma, unconnected.org is actively working to close this gap. The digital learning labs are not just about giving women access to the internet—they are about giving them access to independence, knowledge, and the tools to thrive.
Women can now apply for remote jobs, bringing financial security to their families.
Girls can continue their education, even when formal schooling is unavailable.
Women entrepreneurs can market their skills and connect with global clients.
Monday, Amal, and Nyatiena all agree: connectivity is freedom. It is the difference between a life spent waiting for aid and a future built on self-reliance and opportunity.
Be Part of the Change
This International Women’s Day, let’s ensure that more women in Kakuma have the opportunities they deserve. The ability to learn, work, and connect should not be a privilege—it should be a right.
unconnected.org is working to expand digital learning labs and bring education, employment, and empowerment to more women in refugee communities.