Community Building Through the Airwaves: RefFM Radio Station and Young People in Kakuma

Abstract

This paper examines the role that community radio can play in a refugee camp, with particular focus on community building and social cohesion among young people. The article introduces the experience of RefFM in Kakuma refugee camp, Kenya. Findings from four focus groups with young refugees in Kakuma shed light on both the uses and perceptions of the radio station among Kakuma youth. They also present insights into the design of radio-based interventions for humanitarian agencies working in refugee camps. In particular, reflections are offered on how “refugee community radio” programming can be developed to strengthen the ties between different communities living in the camp, and particularly among young people, while addressing the critical needs of a displaced population