This project investigates how humanitarian systems in Kenya are adapting following the withdrawal of USAID. USAID previously accounted for 40% of humanitarian funding in Kenya, causing a massive reduction in rations and essential services leading to a rise in malnutrition, insecurity, and the spread of infectious diseases in refugee camps. The research examines three key areas: state-led initiatives like Kenya's Shirika Plan; refugee-led infrastructures such as community organizations; and transnational remittance networks that sustain life and connect refugees globally. Using ethnographic research in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya, and Edmonton, Canada, the project will research how new humanitarian infrastructures shape governance, the state and refugee agency. The findings can offer practical insights for policymakers, promoting more inclusive and sustainable responses to displacement in an era of declining international aid.

2026

2030