Lodwar, May 28, 2025 (Public Communication and Media Relations)
The County Government and VNG International have pledged continued support for refugee and host-led organizations to strengthen their capacity in delivering integrated services to local communities.
During a strategy meeting in Lodwar attended by humanitarian partners, County and VNG officials resolved to rally development actors in Turkana to plan for empowerment of community-based organizations led by both refugees and host populations.
Michael Aupe, Deputy Director for Resource Mobilization and Donor Coordination, said that the County would continue championing calls for development partners to offer focused training on integrated service delivery and support peer learning between host and refugee led organizations in Turkana.
“In partnership with VNG, we’ve engaged over 80 development partners and supported more than 60 refugee- and host-led organizations to deliver integrated services,” Aupe noted. “This has significantly strengthened efforts toward host-refugee integration.”
Isaiah Ekai of VNG International reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to working closely with the county government, municipal authorities, and utility service providers in refugee-hosting areas to ensure equitable access to basic public services.
Participants at the meeting identified several priority areas for intervention, including access to water, integrated settlement planning, employment opportunities, inclusion of women, youth and persons with disabilities, disaster preparedness, and economic empowerment as essential to advancing host-refugee integration.
Stakeholders attendees were Danish Refugee Council, Accomplished Annual Pensioners Information Revalidation, Learning Independence for Transition, Agency for Cross Border Pastoralists Development (ApAD), Project Definitions Rating Index- PDRI and, LOKADO.
Other County staff attendees were Raphael Logum- Director Resource Mobilization and Donor Coordination, Echwa Richard- ICT officer and Paul Ebei- Economist Turkana County Government.
