A refugee in Kenya said of the aid cuts: “There are fewer teachers, fewer doctors, fewer caseworkers, less police support, and extremely limited food for vulnerable families. There are no dignity pads for girls, no support for persons with disabilities, water is scarce, and the camp feels like an open prison. Desperation has increased, and with it lawlessness, suicide attempts, and families fleeing back to unsafe home countries.”
Date: 8/25
Region: Africa
Country: Kenya
Topic: Refugees & Displacement, Peacebuilding & Stabilization
Policy Lens: Security & Resilience
Entry Type: Field Observation
Additional Context: The NGO Refugee Group, or NRG, conducted a mid-year survey published in August 2025 with 10 member organizations and 116 refugees to assess the combined impact of U.S. funding cuts and the rollout of differentiated assistance. The findings reveal a humanitarian system under strain, with declining standards across all core sectors and growing social tensions.
The NRG is a coordination body of international and national NGOs working in the refugee space in Kenya. Refugee respondents were primarily from Kakuma refugee camp (99%). This quote was retrieved in the survey process.
Source: NRG