Kenya

Refugee Needs Assessment

Development and Non-Governmental Organizations

Dadaab - Dagahely, Hagadera, and Ifo Refugee Camps, Kenya

Strategy

Challenge

To develop an effective program to address humanitarian development demands, the client required a focused needs assessment in the Somali refugee camps located near Dadaab. The client had a specific imperative to better understand the prevailing attitudes and living conditions amongst the refugee populations.

Solution

A  Madison Springfield team comprised of social scientists, strategists and local researchers conducted primary research comprised of both quantitative surveys, coded qualitative in-depth interviews and Thematic Apperception Tests in the three Dadaab camps in order to understand prevailing attitudes and to identify opportunities to intervene to improve conditions in the camps.

Result

The final report revealed specific problem areas as well as emerging issues that provided the client opportunities to intervene to improve conditions in the camps and enhance their overall stability. The data eliminated numerous knowledge gaps and enabled the client to allocate scarce resources to only those courses of action that were supported by empirical data and proved to be effective in the end.