Polydord Wasokye, Life Skills for Better Future
Empowering Youth & Women with Skills Training & Permaculture in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya
Meet
, a 29-year old refugee from Democratic Republic of Congo, living with his wife and three young children in the Kakuma Refugee Camp in the Northwest region of Kenya.I met Polydord virtually through a mutual contact,
of S39 Permaculture. For the last five years plus, Polydord has been working to help women and teenage mothers build life skills, vocational skills, and entrepreneurship. In April 2023, his efforts finally became official when the organization became a certified community development organization called Life Skills for Better Future (LSBF). LSBF’s mission is to empower displaced children, youth and women to reach their full potential by providing increased opportunities for education and sustainable livelihoods.Polydord’s Story - In His Own Words
Polydord had a story already written to share with me. I couldn’t tell it better, so here it is:
“My journey begins in the verdant landscapes of Kazimia Village, nestled in the eastern expanses of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Born on December 10, 1995, into a lineage steeped in agriculture, my life was intimately tied to the rhythms of the land. My family, guardians of the soil, cultivated their livelihood through the bounty of their gardens. From a tender age, I accompanied my mother on the long treks to their plots, learning the art of farming and the value of hard work amidst the lush diversity of their fields. Our land yielded avocados, pineapples, bananas, and a mosaic of vegetables and legumes, sustaining the family and funding my education.
Despite the pastoral beauty of my homeland, my narrative took a darker turn as the shadows of war and unrest crept across the Congo. The fragility of life in my village, marred by violence and insecurity, propelled me on a quest for safety and peace, leading to my registration as a refugee in Kenya's Kakuma camp in February 2015.
In Kakuma, l encountered a world far removed from my agricultural roots, marked by food scarcity and economic hardship. Yet, it was here that my resilience shone. Determined to overcome the barriers of language and displacement, I embraced the challenge of learning English, laying the groundwork for a future driven by purpose and community service.
By the end of 2016, my personal life blossomed with the founding of a family, yet my heart remained with the broader camp community. Disturbed by the dire conditions facing women and children in Kakuma, I founded the Life Skills for Better Future (LSBF) organization. LSBF emerged as a beacon of hope, dedicated to empowering refugees through vocational training and sustainable development programs, fostering a community where self-reliance and economic independence are within reach.
Under my leadership, LSBF has initiated programs like Livelihoods for Resilience, targeting the nutritional and educational needs of women and children and cultivating permaculture practices. The organization’s mission extends to enhancing employability and entrepreneurship, aiming to dismantle the barriers to economic advancement for Kakuma’s inhabitants.
I envision a future where equity, opportunity, and self-sufficiency are accessible to all, striving tirelessly to expand LSBF’s impact. My story is a testament to the transformative power of education, community, and unwavering resolve, illuminating a path of hope and renewal for refugees far beyond the borders of Kakuma.”
LSBF Programming
LSBF is a membership organization and provides several types of programming:
1. After-school programming for children to support pyschological and mental health: Games, artwork, entertainment and classes for children aged 4 and 5.
2. Soap making: teaching community members how to make soap and beauty products and instruction on how to continue producing at home for income generation.
3. Hair dressing: teaching hair cutting, styling and coloring to help women and young teen mothers support themselves.
4. Information & Computer Technology: training in essential digital skills including how to operate a computer.
LSBF also provides training in permaculture & farming, business coaching and training, and seed saving and swapping initiatives.
Current Project: Kitchen Gardens in Kakuma
Everyone in Kakuma is challenged at some level by persistent malnutrition, food insecurity, and disease. Polydord’s current efforts focus on equipping women, particularly those with young children, with the skills and resources to feed themselves. He plans to offer 10 permaculture kitchen garden trainings to 60 women. Kitchen gardens based on permaculture practices provide an opportunity for people in the camp to grow their own food and learn skills that will help them throughout their life.
About Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya
“Kakuma” is the Swahili word for nowhere. And, by all accounts, while it is certainly somewhere for the over 200,000 refugees that live there, Kakuma is in some ways nowhere in that it’s not easily accessible. It’s also located in the poorest region of Kenya, in the Northwest corner of Kenya in Turkana County.
According to the UNHCR, the United Nations’ Refugee Organization, “Kakuma Refugee Camp is located in the North-western region of Kenya. The camp was established in 1992 following the arrival of the ‘Lost Boys of Sudan’. During that year, large groups of Ethiopian refugees fled their country following the fall of the Ethiopian government. Somalia had also experienced high insecurity and civil strife causing people to flee.” More than 200,000 people live in Kakuma from various African countries experiencing war and conflict, primarily South Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo.
Polydord’s ChangeMaker: Bronwyn Chompfitt
Polydord named Australian Permaculturist Bronwyn Chompff-Glyddon as the person who has the most impact on him in his life. “She coaches me about business, management and processes of achieving my organization vision.”
Where in the World is Polydord?
It feels so vital and important to celebrate and shares these stories of resilience, of leaders and pioneers who are showing ways forward.