Imagine leaving your home with only a few belongings because conflict, persecution, violence, or disaster has made it unsafe to stay. For millions of refugees around the world, this is not a hypothetical situation but a difficult reality. Fortunately, numerous charity organizations work across borders to provide food, shelter, healthcare, education, legal assistance, protection, and opportunities for refugees to rebuild their lives.
Refugee support is also relevant to Kenya. The country hosts refugees and asylum seekers from several neighbouring countries and works with international and local partners in places such as Dadaab, Kakuma, and urban centres. UNHCR Kenya lists organizations including the International Rescue Committee, Norwegian Refugee Council, Kenya Red Cross Society, Save the Children, Médecins Sans Frontières, and World Vision among its partners.
So, which charity organizations are helping refugees around the world, and what kind of assistance do they provide? Let us take a closer look.
What are charity organizations doing to support refugees?
Charity organizations play an important role in humanitarian response. Their work often begins when people are forced to leave their homes and continues as refugees seek safety, stability, education, healthcare, employment, and long-term solutions.
Some organizations focus on emergency relief, while others concentrate on legal protection, children’s welfare, education, healthcare, livelihoods, or refugee integration.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, commonly known as UNHCR, is one of the most prominent organizations in this field. UNHCR says it works in 122 countries and provides assistance such as shelter, food, water, medical care, protection, and support for people forced to flee conflict and persecution.
Other charity organizations work alongside governments, UN agencies, and local communities to make sure assistance reaches people who need it most.
Which charity organizations support refugees around the world?
There are many humanitarian groups working with refugees globally. Here are some of the well-known charity organizations involved in refugee protection and assistance.
1. UNHCR
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has a global mandate to protect refugees, asylum seekers, forcibly displaced people, and stateless people.
Its work includes emergency shelter, protection, documentation support, healthcare, water and sanitation, education, and assistance with longer-term solutions. The organization also works with governments to strengthen refugee and asylum policies.
UNHCR’s work is particularly relevant to Kenya because it collaborates with government agencies and numerous humanitarian partners supporting refugees in Dadaab, Kakuma, and urban areas.
2. International Rescue Committee
The International Rescue Committee, or IRC, is another major humanitarian organization assisting people affected by conflict and displacement.
Its work can include healthcare, education, economic recovery, protection, and emergency assistance. In Kenya, IRC is listed by UNHCR as one of the organizations working with refugees in both settlement and urban contexts.
3. Norwegian Refugee Council
The Norwegian Refugee Council, commonly abbreviated as NRC, works with displaced people in crisis-affected regions.
Its areas of work include education, shelter, food security, legal assistance, water and sanitation, and livelihoods. NRC has also been involved in refugee responses in Kenya, including Dadaab and Kakuma.
For many displaced families, assistance from organizations such as NRC can make a significant difference during the transition from immediate crisis to greater stability.
4. Médecins Sans Frontières
Médecins Sans Frontières, also known as Doctors Without Borders, is an international medical humanitarian organization.
Its focus is healthcare in places affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, and limited access to medical services. Healthcare is particularly important for refugees because displacement can expose families to interrupted treatment, poor living conditions, malnutrition, and other health challenges.
UNHCR Kenya lists Médecins Sans Frontières among its operational partners supporting refugees in Kenya.
5. Save the Children
Save the Children focuses heavily on children and families affected by crises.
Its humanitarian work can include education, child protection, healthcare, nutrition, and emergency support. Children who are forced to flee their homes may face interrupted schooling and increased risks, making child-focused humanitarian programs particularly important.
Save the Children is also listed among UNHCR’s partners supporting refugees in Kenya.
6. World Vision
World Vision is a humanitarian organization working with vulnerable children, families, and communities in different parts of the world.
Its programs can cover areas such as education, food security, water and sanitation, livelihoods, and child protection.
World Vision is among the organizations identified by UNHCR Kenya as an operational partner in refugee response.
7. Danish Refugee Council
The Danish Refugee Council, or DRC, is another organization with a strong focus on displacement and humanitarian assistance.
Its work includes protection, humanitarian response, livelihoods, and support for displaced populations. In Kenya, DRC is listed among organizations working with UNHCR in urban refugee response.
8. Kenya Red Cross Society
The Kenya Red Cross Society plays an important role in humanitarian response within Kenya.
Its work extends beyond refugee assistance to emergency response and support for communities affected by disasters and other crises. The organization is listed among UNHCR’s partners in Dadaab and urban refugee operations.
9. CARE
CARE is an international humanitarian organization working on poverty, emergencies, gender equality, livelihoods, and community resilience.
Organizations such as CARE can support displaced communities by addressing both immediate humanitarian needs and longer-term challenges that affect household stability.
CARE has also appeared among organizations involved in refugee responses documented by UNHCR.
10. Plan International
Plan International focuses strongly on children, young people, education, protection, and gender equality.
For refugee children, access to education and safe spaces can provide stability during an otherwise uncertain period. Plan International is listed among UNHCR’s operational partners in Kenya’s urban refugee response.
What types of assistance do charity organizations provide to refugees?
The needs of refugees are not limited to food and shelter. People who have been displaced may require assistance at different stages of their journey.
Many charity organizations provide emergency food, clean water, temporary accommodation, healthcare, sanitation facilities, clothing and essential household items.
Other programmes focus on education, legal assistance, documentation, psychosocial support, child protection, employment skills and livelihood opportunities. Learners interested in understanding how social support and community development programmes are managed can consider the Foundation in Social Work and Community Development (FRSCD) at Finstock Evarsity College. The course takes 1 month, costs KES 15,000 and is offered online. There is no formal academic entry requirement, making it accessible to beginners and individuals interested in social work and community development. The fee can also be paid in three instalments of KES 5,000.
For example, UNHCR describes its work as including life-saving assistance, protection, shelter, food, water, medical care, and longer-term support aimed at helping displaced people rebuild their lives.
This broad approach is important because humanitarian support should not only help someone survive an emergency. Where circumstances allow, it should also help people regain independence and participate in their communities.
Why is refugee education important?
Education is one of the most valuable forms of long-term support for displaced people.
When children are forced to leave their homes, their schooling can be interrupted. Without educational opportunities, they may face fewer options later in life.
Charity organizations therefore support different educational programs, including formal schooling, non-formal education, vocational training, scholarships, digital learning, and skills development.
Education can help young refugees develop knowledge and practical skills while giving them a sense of routine and hope for the future.
For adults, vocational and professional training can also support economic independence. Skills in areas such as technology, business, construction, healthcare, hospitality, and administration can improve opportunities for employment or entrepreneurship.
How do charity organizations help refugees in Kenya?
Kenya has a long history of hosting refugees and working with humanitarian organizations.
In Dadaab, UNHCR identifies a wide range of government, NGO, and development partners. These include the Department of Refugee Services, International Rescue Committee, Kenya Red Cross Society, Norwegian Refugee Council, Save the Children, Médecins Sans Frontières, World Vision, and other organizations.
In urban areas, UNHCR lists partners including Danish Refugee Council, Refugee Consortium of Kenya, International Rescue Committee, Kenya Red Cross Society, Médecins Sans Frontières, Plan International, Save the Children, World Vision, and others.
This partnership model is important because refugee assistance requires cooperation between government agencies, humanitarian organizations, local communities, donors, and refugees themselves.
How can someone support refugees through charity organizations?
People can support refugee causes in different ways. Donations are one option, but they are not the only one.
Individuals can support legitimate humanitarian organizations through financial contributions, fundraising, volunteering where appropriate, professional skills, educational initiatives, or awareness campaigns.
Before donating, it is sensible to research the organization, understand how it uses donations, and use its official donation channels. This helps reduce the risk of sending money to fraudulent organizations pretending to support refugees.
It is also worth remembering that refugee assistance is not only about emergency relief. Supporting education, employment skills, healthcare, legal protection, and community programs can contribute to longer-term outcomes.
What is the main lesson about charity organizations supporting refugees?
The work of charity organizations demonstrates how humanitarian assistance can address both immediate emergencies and longer-term challenges.
From UNHCR’s international protection role to the work of organizations such as the International Rescue Committee, Norwegian Refugee Council, Médecins Sans Frontières, Save the Children, World Vision, CARE, Plan International, and local partners in Kenya, refugee assistance involves many different areas of expertise.
For Kenyan students, learning about refugee assistance also offers an opportunity to understand wider issues surrounding migration, human rights, community support and social development.
If these subjects interest you, consider the Principles in Donor Funding Management (PDFM) course at Finstock Evarsity College. The programme takes 1 month, costs KES 15,000 and is offered online. There is no formal academic entry requirement, making it accessible to learners interested in developing skills in donor funding and resource management. The fee can also be paid in three instalments of KES 5,000. Explore the Principles in Donor Funding Management course to learn more. Finstock Evarsity College
