Social Media as a Tool for Future-Making: The Cases of Two Entrepreneurs in Kakuma Refugee Camp

Abstract

In this article I will look at the relationship between offline suffering and online happiness through the example of two young entrepreneurs living in Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya who strongly leverage social media for their business. From a basic communication device, the smartphone has become the door to a world of seemingly glamorous self-representation and a tool for future-making. I trace the young professionals’ motivations and inspirations for their work, and how they make a ‘brand’ in efforts to find a way of being self-reliant. In showcasing what they want and aim to be, these entrepreneurs actively engage in creating a self-image that is ‘beyond suffering’, one that can widen the gap and exemplify the ambiguous relationship between their real-world uncertainties and online images of success.