In partnership with the Nairobi Play Project and with UNHCR’s collaboration, UNAOC is supporting a series of ict development workshops aiming at providing urban refugees (originally from Eritrea and Ethiopia) and local Kenyan youth with peace building skills and technical abilities while building opportunities for intercultural dialogue and better understanding between both communities.
The Nairobi Play Project is a year-long game design and computer programming initiative which equips urban refugee youth and Kenyan youth in Nairobi with technical skills (STEM), 21st century skills and a peace-building model to support the local integration of urban refugee youth into Kenyan society.
The integration of urban refugees into the economic, social and cultural fabric of Kenya is a growing crisis. Most affected are refugee youth, whose alienation and marginalization has led to unemployment and idleness. There are too few initiatives which equip them with the skills to secure better living conditions and gainful employment. When settling in new countries, it’s imperative that urban refugee youth are incorporated into programs which promote community-building and integration, rather than siloed initiatives which can foster tension, xenophobia and a lack of empathy from host communities.
For additional information, please contact Jordi Torrent, Project Manager of Media and Information Literacy, UNAOC, at jordit@unops.org.