Effects of Refugee Settlements on the Host Community Around Dadaab Refugee Camps in Northern Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to assess the effects of refugee settlements on the host community around Dadaab refugee camps in northern Kenya. The study objectives included establishing the effect of camp social facilities and infrastructure projects on the host community. The study was anchored by two theories: refugee aid and development theory. The study used a descriptive research approach. The unit of observation was comprised of the host community within the Dadaab refugee camps of Dagahaley, Ifo, and Hagadera in northern Kenya. The unit of analysis was community leaders, public administrators, and household heads. The study used the census technique due to the small size of the population to sample all 177 participants to be included in the study. The collection of primary data involved direct engagement with both the host community and refugees to fill out the questionnaire. The data analysis techniques used on the collected data were descriptive and inferential statistics. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) tool aided in data analysis. The analyzed data were presented in the form of means and standard deviations for ease of interpretation. Results revealed that each predictor variable, which is camp social facilities and infrastructure projects, had a significant impact on the host community; for instance, holding other factors, the host community will improve by 1.108 units. Moreover, a unit increase in the camp social facility will improve the host community by 0.718, while a unit increment in the infrastructural project will improve the host community by 0.275 units. The results suggest that there is a need for a comprehensive and integrated approach, which can lead to an improvement in the host community and have a sustainable impact on the host communities. The recommendation of the study was to recognize the substantial impact of the inflow of camp social facilities and the development of infrastructural projects, which are key in the enhancement and expansion of community facilities, to contribute to the overall quality of life for residents.