COVID-19 and Urban Refugees' Livelihoods: The Critical Role of Humanitarian Agencies

Background: While the COVID-19 global pandemic impacted all refugees, it particularly exposed the precarious nature of life for urban refugees. Unlike refugees in camp settings who often have access to centralized humanitarian assistance, urban refugees largely reside in overcrowded conditions at the peripheries of urban cities with limited sanitation, and face legal, economic, and social exclusion. This study examines how receiving humanitarian assistance through RefugePoint’s Urban Refugee Protection Program (URPP) influenced the survival, psychosocial well-being, and socioeconomic recovery of urban refugees in Nairobi, Kenya, during and immediately following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: The study data comes from a larger qualitative dataset examining the impact of URPP self-reliance interventions. Participants were selected through purposeful sampling using the following criteria: refugees, aged 18 or older, head of household, and served by the agency’s URPP program for at least two years. A total of 28 were selected and 23 agreed to participate. In-depth interviews were conducted in the summer of 2023. Of those 23 participants, 19 specifically spoke about the impact of the pandemic and the assistance received. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analyzed manually to identify themes that capture each participant's lived experience. Participants included 2 men and 17 women who lived in Nairobi Metro Area, Kenya for a period ranging from nine years to over 20 years.

Results: Four two-fold themes emerged from the analysis.

1. Survival and Hope: Humanitarian assistance meant the difference between having food on the table or a roof over their heads, a lifeline that felt like a blessing and a reason for hope.
2. Relational and Emotional Support: For some, RefugePoint was the only place urban refugees felt seen and connected to the outside world. More so, for survivors of gender-based violence, having a safe space to speak, be heard, and begin healing.
3. Agency-Building and Adaptive: Financial support helped urban refugees attempt to keep working when the pandemic shut down markets and supply chains. Equally important was the flexibility in service delivery, which adapted how they provided food assistance (e.g., food delivery) or offered alternative ways for participants to stay connected (e.g., phone).
4. Bridge to Post-Pandemic Recovery and Self-Reliance: Humanitarian aid was essential after COVID-19, especially for those who did not receive any support during the pandemic. Participants reported assistance with food, rent, and financial support to rebuild their small businesses.

Conclusion: Humanitarian assistance, like that received from RefugePoint’s URPP, was not simply a service; it was a lifeline, a relationship, and, in many cases, the only hope for urban refugees during one of the most isolating and frightening periods in recent history of the world. In the absence any protection that refugees could rely on, RefugePoint is an example of a humanitarian organization that stepped into a gap that no other system was filling. The findings suggest that integrated humanitarian programming is an essential prerequisite for urban refugee resilience. The study demonstrates that "crisis-responsive" programming must be built on pre-existing, trust-based relationships. The URPP’s success was rooted in its long-term presence rather than ad-hoc emergency relief.