Eric Bakuli

🗣advocacy, 🗨engagement & 🧑‍💻comms

[UNHCR KENYA @UNHCR_Kenya]

Happy #CanadaDay! 🇨🇦

Thank you to the Government and people of Canada for your steadfast partnership with UNHCR.

Flexible, multi-year support helps us respond where needs are greatest, protect people forced to flee, and bring hope in crises around the world.

[UNHCR KENYA @UNHCR_Kenya]

A new chapter began today for 100 refugees who voluntarily returned to Burundi 🇧🇮 from Kakuma 🇰🇪

When conditions allow, some refugees choose to return home and rebuild their lives. We are grateful to @SwedeninKE 🇸🇪 for its continued support towards voluntary repatriation.

[William Ejalu @wejalu]

Refugees in Dadaab are not waiting to be saved; they are waiting for the door to open.

Every day, I witness resilience, ambition, and untapped potential; people too often reduced to beneficiaries of aid, yet truly partners in shaping their own future. As a leader, my role is to ensure their voices are heard where it matters most; because this is not just a humanitarian issue, it is a systems challenge.

The shift we need is clear: from aid to agency, from containment to inclusion. This is where Kenya’s SHIRIKA Plan and GISEDP offer real pathways, reimagining Dadaab as an integrated municipality, where refugees and host communities can contribute, produce, and thrive. It also aligns with the broader 50by35 vision: moving millions from dependency to self-reliance and dignity.

Refugees don’t need pity. They need pathways, access to education, livelihoods, and markets. If we amplify their voices, change the narrative, and invest in inclusion, we don’t just support refugees; we unlock opportunity for entire societies.

#WithRefugees #Dadaab #SHIRIKA #GISEDP #50by35 #DurableSolutions #HumanitarianLeadership #ChangeTheNarrative #WilliamsTake

[William Ejalu @wejalu]

Yesterday in Dadaab, World Refugee Day was not just commemorated, it was lived. Amid cultural performances, football matches, market stalls and a striking fashion showcase, resilience was on full display. Each moment told a story of people who, despite loss, refuse to be defined by it; people who are building, trading, creating, and shaping their own futures.

Here, the message “Until everyone is safe” takes on a deeper meaning. Safety must go beyond protection; it must be about dignity, inclusion, and opportunity. It must mean access to markets, services, and decision-making spaces. It must mean recognising refugees not as beneficiaries, but as partners and contributors.

In Dadaab, this shift is beginning to take shape. Through the #SHIRIKA Plan and the ambition of #50by35, we are seeing the contours of a different future; one where refugee settings evolve into integrated municipalities, where refugees and host communities grow together, share responsibility, and co-create solutions.

But frameworks alone are not enough. What is required is a collective shift in mindset; from working for refugees to working with them, from parallel systems to inclusive ones, from burden to possibility. Because lasting change will be defined not by assistance, but by shared ownership.

As I reflect on my final World Refugee Day in Dadaab in this role, I leave with one conviction: when people are given the chance, they do not just survive; they lead.

#WorldRefugeeDay #Dadaab #UntilEveryoneIsSafe #50by35 #SHIRIKA #RefugeeInclusion #SharedResponsibility #FromAidToOpportunity #HumanDignity #RefugeesAreContributors #ThinkWithRefugees #LocalSolutions #GlobalImpact #UNHCR #LeadershipInAction #WilliamsTell

[Fatima Mohammed-Cole @FatimaMCole]

For over three decades, Kenya 🇰🇪 has provided safety to generations of people forced to flee.

On #WorldRefugeeDay, we recognize the Government and people of Kenya, host communities, refugees and partners whose efforts continue to turn protection into opportunity.

[UNHCR KENYA @UNHCR_Kenya]

📍Nairobi

The right to seek safety is a promise. Keeping that promise means ensuring everyone is included & can look to the future with hope.

Grateful to have joined the @C_ServicesKE, @DRSKenya, refugees, partners & refugee-led local actors to mark #WorldRefugeeDay at @uonbi.

[State Dept for Immigration & Citizen Services @C_ServicesKE]

Principal Secretary, Dr. Belio Kipsang was the guest speaker during the commemoration of World Refugee Day 2026 held at the University of Nairobi, under the theme "Until Everyone is Safe."

The event brought together
Government officials, development partners, humanitarian organizations, refugee-led organizations, host communities, and other stakeholders to celebrate the resilience, courage, and achievements of refugees across the world.

In his remarks, Dr. Kipsang reaffirmed Kenya's unwavering commitment to refugee protection, inclusion, and the pursuit of sustainable solutions that uphold human dignity. He highlighted the importance of collective action, shared responsibility, and strengthened partnerships in ensuring that refugees are not only protected but also empowered to rebuild their lives and contribute meaningfully to society.

The commemoration served as a powerful reminder that behind every displacement statistic is a human story of resilience, hope, and determination. As Kenya continues to champion inclusive and development-oriented approaches through initiatives such as the Shirika Plan, the country remains committed to fostering peaceful coexistence and shared prosperity between refugees and host communities.

As we mark World Refugee Day 2026, we renew our commitment to standing in solidarity with refugees and working together to create a future where every person can live in safety, dignity, and hope, because our work is not complete until everyone is safe.

Present during the occasion were Commissioner for Refugee Affairs Ms. Mercy Mwasaru; UNHCR Deputy Country Representative Ms. Robin Ellis; University of Nairobi Deputy Vice-Chancellor Prof. Leonida Kerubo; WFP was represented by Mr. Felix Oketch; NGO Refugee Co- Chair Mr Jacob Bonyo; Nairobi City County Executive Committee Member Brian Mulama ; DG eCitizen Amb Isaac Ochieng, Secretary National population data management, Ms. Judy Kilobi, among other senior officials from the State Department.

[UNHCR KENYA @UNHCR_Kenya]

For Tololinda, education is opening doors to opportunity and change.

Learning alongside students from different backgrounds has reinforced her belief that inclusion benefits everyone.

On #WorldRefugeeDay, we celebrate education as a pathway to opportunity and inclusion.

[Fatima Mohammed-Cole @FatimaMCole]

Ahead of #WorldRefugeeDay tomorrow, Arno’s story reminds us that safety also means opportunity.

As he prepares for the youth olympics in Dakar, his journey shows what becomes possible when young refugees are given the chance to train, grow and pursue their potential.

[UNHCR KENYA @UNHCR_Kenya]

Today is #WorldRefugeeDay.

Help keep the promise of safety alive. Stand with refugees.

Across Kenya 🇰🇪 , refugees and host communities are shaping a shared future together. Until everyone is safe, the work is not done.

[UNHCR KENYA @UNHCR_Kenya]

Mary's dream is simple: use her education to help others.

Having completed her studies with practical hands-on hospital placements, she hopes to return and support her community.

Safety includes access to education, skills, and opportunities to give back.

#WorldRefugeeDay

[UNHCR KENYA @UNHCR_Kenya]

What does safety look like?

It can mean the opportunity to work, earn a living, and contribute to your community.

in Kakuma, during a #WorldRefugeeDay market, refugee & host farmers, traders, and entrepreneurs showcased how inclusion, food security, and self-reliance intersect.

[UNHCR KENYA @UNHCR_Kenya]

Refugees, hosts, Govt. officials, & partners came together for a Solidarity Walk in Kakuma to mark #WorldRefugeeDay 💙.

The walk was both a call to uphold the right to seek safety and a moment to recognize the generosity of Kenya and the people of Turkana for welcoming refugees.

[UNHCR KENYA @UNHCR_Kenya]

What began as a simple idea has grown into opportunities for young refugees in Kakuma.

Through sport, mentorship, and leadership, @Lichgatkoi is helping young people build confidence, find safety, belonging, and pursue their potential through basketball 🏀.

#WorldRefugeeDay

[UNHCR KENYA @UNHCR_Kenya]

Safety is more than protection. It is the freedom to learn, create, and build a future.

For Diyaro, that future is behind the camera. Through photography, she is developing skills, pursuing her passion, and working towards turning her talent into a business.

#WorldRefugeeDay

[Fatima Mohammed-Cole @FatimaMCole]

In Dadaab, Aden is not waiting for others to tell his community’s story.

Through his YouTube channel, he's showing the talent & everyday life that often goes unseen.
This #WorldRefugeeDay, he reminds us that safety is also the freedom to be heard, seen & known on your own terms.

[Fatima Mohammed-Cole @FatimaMCole]

My first visit to Kakuma as @UNHCR_Kenya Representative, ahead of #WorldRefugeeDay, was a chance to listen and learn from refugees, host communities and partners.

From sport and livelihoods to refugee-led action, I saw how inclusion creates opportunity and strengthens solutions.

[UNHCR KENYA @UNHCR_Kenya]

From refugee athletes chasing Olympic dreams to entrepreneurs growing businesses and refugee-led organizations strengthening their communities, Kakuma is full of stories of possibility.

Thank you, @FatimaMCole, for highlighting the power of inclusion ahead of #WorldRefugeeDay.

[Swedish Ambassador to Kenya @SwedeninKE]

Visiting Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kalobeyei Settlement and the larger Turkana County this week was a deeply grounding experience. Standing in one of the world’s most longstanding refugee-hosting areas (home to more than 317,000 refugees and asylum seekers) is a powerful reminder of both the scale of displacement and the resilience of the people who live here.

Together with colleagues from @UNHCR_Kenya and the County of Turkana, I saw firsthand how Kenya is shifting from a camp-based approach toward inclusive, sustainable refugee management under the SHIRIKA Plan. Sweden is proud to support this transition.

@TurkanaCountyKE

[Swedish Ambassador to Kenya @SwedeninKE]

Met with H.E. Governor Lomorukai of @TurkanaCountyKE to discuss ongoing efforts towards enhanced refugee management, including improved access to documentation and strengthened county and national coordination towards refugee inclusion and integration. It was encouraging to talk about practical steps and areas of collaboration with Kenya as it advances the SHIRIKA Plan. We also had the opportunity to discuss Swedish support in the areas of agriculture and climate resilience.