IN Kenya’s vast Kakuma refugee camp, a taekwondo class is offering young girls far more than martial arts skills — it’s giving them strength, safety, and a voice. Tucked away in a modest compound off a dusty lane known as ‘New York City’, girls meet twice a week to practise punches, kicks and, more importantly, confidence.
The programme, launched three years ago by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), serves as a safe space for nearly 80 girls living in one of Africa’s most crowded refugee camps. But as AFP reports, the initiative is now under threat due to looming aid cuts.
A camp under pressure, but a classroom full of hope
Kakuma, Kenya’s second-largest refugee camp, hosts over 300,000 people from South Sudan, Somalia, Burundi, and Uganda. The camp is jointly managed by the Kenyan government and UNHCR, but it has faced recent unrest, particularly after US funding cuts under President Donald Trump led to reductions in food rations.
Amid this instability, the taekwondo compound remains an oasis of calm. When AFP visited, the space echoed with laughter and the rhythmic stomp of bare feet on packed earth. Girls chat and spar in an open-sided metal shed, pushing back against the everyday threats they face outside.
Learning to fight back — and stand tall
Among the participants are 15-year-old twins Samia and Salha, who live in Kakuma’s violence-prone ‘Hong Kong’ district. For them, taekwondo is a lifeline.
‘In the past when we were beaten up, we couldn’t defend ourselves, but now we are able to,’ Samia told AFP. Her sister Salha, who is deaf and cannot speak, is just as fierce. Their father, Ismail Mohamad, a refugee from Burundi, initially hesitated to let them join but changed his mind after seeing the impact.
‘I thought it would be good if I brought her here so she could defend herself in life,’ he said. ‘Now I have faith in her. Even when she’s in the community, she no longer gets bullied. She can handle everything on her own.’
Discipline, confidence and community spirit
The class is led by Caroline Ambani, a taekwondo black belt who travels from Nairobi to train the girls. She teaches not just technique, but discipline and focus. ‘Here we come to sweat!’ she calls out, rallying the group into formation.
Ambani says many of her students have already used their training to protect themselves from aggression. She beams with pride when talking about girls like Salha, who have transformed through the lessons.
For the girls, the programme is as much about emotional strength as physical defence. It’s a rare chance to feel powerful in a place where danger is common and opportunities are limited.
Funding fears cast shadow on progress
Despite its success, the programme faces closure as donor funding winds down. The taekwondo classes, like many camp services, are vulnerable to shifting global priorities and the reduced financial support affecting humanitarian operations across the region.
The girls, however, remain determined to carry the spirit forward. Ajok Chol, an 18-year-old from South Sudan, is one of the class captains. She fled conflict at age 14 and now sees herself as a future leader.
‘I want to teach my fellow girls… to protect the community,’ she told AFP. Her dream is to become an instructor, helping other girls find the same strength she discovered.
More than martial arts — it’s survival
What started as a self-defence class has become a movement. The girls of Kakuma are learning more than how to block a punch or land a kick — they are gaining the skills to face life in one of the world’s toughest environments with resilience and pride.
Without new funding, the safe space they’ve built may soon disappear. But the impact of the programme — and the empowerment it has brought — will continue through the girls themselves.
Their message is clear: they’re not just surviving — they’re fighting back.
