ORAM’s Humanitarian Inclusion Project, supported by the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, has expanded its impact to Kenya with its first round of inclusion training in the country.
Having previously conducted training sessions in Poland, Moldova, and Czechia, ORAM’s Inclusion team works with UN agencies, international humanitarian organizations, national non-governmental organizations, refugee-led organizations (RLOs), community-based organizations (CBOs) and LGBTIQ civil society organizations (CSOs), to address the unique challenges LGBTIQ refugees face and to foster more inclusive programming.
Bringing this training to Kenya in 2025 marks a significant milestone for ORAM and the entire country. “Our partners in Kenya were asking for this kind of training. The LGBTIQ refugee community also saw a gap in programming and wanted more support. I’m glad we did this,” shared Kennedy Mwangi, ORAM’s Program Assistant and a co-facilitator of the training.
LGBTIQ inclusion remains a difficult, often avoided topic in Kenya. “The community faces stigma and discrimination, exacerbated by anti-LGBTIQ criminalization laws,” said Elias Pande, ORAM’s Inclusion Officer in Kenya. For LGBTIQ refugees, the situation is even more precarious, as they navigate heightened vulnerability and limited access to essential services. Despite efforts to foster acceptance and provide safe spaces, it's still a challenge, and much needs to be done.
As one of the only organizations in Kenya specifically serving the LGBTIQ refugee community, ORAM is uniquely positioned to fill this gap. “As we implement different programs, we engage with diverse stakeholders. The training helped our partners gain new insights and understanding,” Kennedy noted.
The inclusion training took over seven months to plan and prepare. The team began by identifying key stakeholders who could benefit from learning about the unique needs of LGBTIQ refugees. ORAM also collaborated with RLOs, CBOs, and LGBTIQ refugee community leaders to ensure the training reflected the lived experiences of those most affected. “We hosted 'co-creation workshops' with CBO leaders in Nairobi and Kakuma as part of our broader training needs analysis activities. This provided us with crucial insights into the community's ongoing protection risks and challenges in accessing essential support services. It also allowed us to engage co-facilitators with lived experience who shed light on real-life examples, who we then brought on board as co-facilitators for the trainings,” Kennedy explained.
ORAM conducted two training sessions—one in Kakuma Refugee Camp and the other in Nairobi. The first training took place in late January with 28 key stakeholders in attendance from UN agencies, international humanitarian agencies, national NGOs, and Refugee-led organizations. Participants left with a deeper understanding of LGBTIQ terminology and the specific challenges LGBTIQ refugees face in the camp. “Hearing directly from LGBTIQ community leaders really gave them a deeper understanding,” Kennedy shared.
"The training sessions also encouraged open dialogue, allowing participants to ask questions and challenge their own biases. This interactive approach helped demystify misconceptions and fostered a more inclusive perspective among stakeholders. ORAM aims to build on this momentum by promoting allyship and strengthening advocacy for LGBTIQ refugee rights," Elias added.
In early February, ORAM facilitated training in Nairobi, where 24 stakeholders participated despite the challenges of funding freezes due to U.S. aid cuts. While some takeaways mirrored those from Kakuma, Nairobi participants particularly appreciated learning about the concept of intersectionality and how it helps us to think critically about how different parts of identities — such as race, gender, sexuality, and asylum status—overlap and interact to create unique experiences of LGBTIQ refugee identities.
Another key takeaway, highlighted by participants, was the importance of creating inclusive safe spaces that foster an environment where individuals with diverse sexual orientation and/or gender identity and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) feel safe enough to self-disclose their diverse SOGIESC. The participation of co-facilitators with lived experience was instrumental in demonstrating the significance of these safe spaces. Their personal insights and firsthand narratives gave participants a deeper understanding of the real-life impact of inclusive environments, making the training more relatable and impactful. By sharing their experiences, these co-facilitators emphasized the necessity of safe spaces and exemplified how empathy, active listening, and non-judgmental support can empower refugees with diverse SOGIESC.
The training was equally impactful for ORAM’s team in Kenya. “Being part of this facilitation team was uplifting. Passing this knowledge to partners and humanitarian workers felt meaningful,” Kennedy reflected. “I left the training realizing just how essential these sessions are. Inclusion training is one of our strongest advocacy tools.”
"The experience also reinforced ORAM's commitment to continuous learning and adapting strategies to address emerging challenges. It highlighted the importance of empathy and understanding in driving meaningful change," Elias added.
ORAM extends its gratitude to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy for making this crucial training possible.
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