By Staff Writer | Wajir Today | Thursday, November 12, 2026
Canada has launched a seven-year initiative targeting 10,000 refugee and host community youth in Garissa and Turkana counties, seeking to improve access to skills training and economic opportunities.
The Strengthening Skills Training Ecosystems and Pathways (STEP) Project, which runs from 2026 to 2033, is funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by World University Service of Canada (WUSC).
The programme targets 10,000 young people, with refugees accounting for 60 per cent of beneficiaries and members of host communities making up the remaining 40 per cent.
It was officially launched at the Ban Ki-moon Hall within the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) compound in Dadaab, Garissa County, during a ceremony attended by senior officials from the Canadian and Kenyan governments and the Department of Refugee Services.
Canada’s High Commissioner to Kenya, Joshua Tabah, led the visiting delegation and reaffirmed his country’s commitment to refugee integration and economic inclusion.
Tabah said the initiative aligned with Kenya’s Shirika Plan, the Refugees Act 2021 and the Garissa Integrated Socio-Economic Development Plan (GISEDP), which provide frameworks for improving refugee welfare and strengthening the relationship between displaced populations and host communities.
The Canadian delegation included Catherine Scott, Assistant Deputy Minister for Social Programs at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, and Murray Jones, Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief People and Communications Officer.
The Kenyan government was represented by Amb. Njambi Kinyungu, Deputy Director General of the Multilateral Affairs Directorate, and Hilda Nambanga, a Foreign Service Officer in the directorate, both from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Mercy Mwasaru, Acting Commissioner for Refugee Affairs, represented the Department of Refugee Services.
The STEP Project comes amid efforts by the Kenyan government and development partners to strengthen refugee inclusion and promote greater economic participation in communities hosting displaced populations.
