US funding cuts threaten youth programmes at Kenya's Kakuma refugee camp

Kenya's northern Kakuma refugee camp is home to more than 300,000 people, who've fled conflict in dozens of east Africa countries. For the young people there, traditional and modern dances are helping them stay occupied, as they face an uncertain future due to funding cuts.

Beads of sweat drip from the faces of young girls and boys as they dance to the rhythm of traditional drums and open calabashes.

These are refugee children. Some were born here in one of Africa’s largest camps.

Kakuma is located in northern Kenya, where more than 300,000 refugees’ livelihoods have been affected by funding cuts that have halved monthly food rations.

The children use the Acholi traditional dance as a distraction from hunger, perfecting a survival skill to skip lunches as they stretch their monthly food rations that are currently at 30% of the U.N nutritional recommendation per person.

The Acholi people, mostly from Uganda and South Sudan, are among refugees who live in Kakuma camp, which was established in 1992 as a safe haven for people fleeing conflict from dozens of east African countries.

The Swiss organization, Terre des hommes, manages the playground here. It's aptly named “Furaha” — Swahili for Happiness.

John Wani, a Social Worker at Terre Des Hommes, says: “We have to keep the culture alive because (of) the moral values they learn from it and also, message of peace. Convey message of peace and then conveying message of togetherness on how they can be able to socialize with other communities. That is one of them (the reason). Also, when children learn through culture they are able showcase their heritage and also even the other communities outside. So, it is something that very essential and also vital in these perspectives.”

But the happiness of these children isn't guaranteed now as funding cuts have affected operations here. Less resources and fewer staff are available to engage the children and ensure their safety.

One of the dancers, Gladis Amwony, has lived in Kakuma for 8 years now. In recent years, she started taking part in the Acholi traditional dances to keep her Ugandan roots alive.

The 20-year-old doesn't imagine ever going back to Uganda and has no recollection of life in her home village.

She says: "I like the traditional dance because when I was home, I liked the traditional dances.”

Uncertain future

While Amwony and her friends are looking for a cultural connection, just some 5 kilometres away in neighbouring Kalobeyei Village 3 it's a different story.

Five boys have been practicing a one-of-a-kind dance where they mimic robots, complete with face masks that hide their human faces.

This younger generation of dancers make precision moves in a small hall with play and learning items stored in a cabinet that is branded with an American flag, an indication that it was donated by the U.S government.

Such donations are now scarce, with the United States having cut down on funding in March.

These cuts have affected operations here, with the future stardom hopes for these children dimming by the day.

The centre, which previously featured daily programs such as taekwondo and ballet, may not be operational in a few months if the funding landscape remains as is.

John Papa a Community Officer at Terre Des Hommes, in Kalobeyei Village 3, says:

“Now, we are now reducing some of the activities because we are few. The staff are few and even per day we only have one staff remaining in the centre and it is really hard for him/her to conduct 500 children. All we do is that other children can stay outside the fence and maybe after 30 minutes we remove the ones inside and allow others to come and practice."

These programs do more than entertain the children — they help keep them away from child labour, abuse and crime. And as the children dance and play beneath the sweltering sun, the only hope is that these child-friendly spaces remain operational for years.