🎙️ Between the Lines | Ep. 8 From Aid to Agency: Rethinking the Donor Landscape for Refugees Once shaped by emergency relief, refugee support systems are now shifting toward long-term development, sustainability, and localisation. In this episode, host Mwara Namelok is joined by Lilian Obiye, policy expert at the Netherlands Embassy, to explore how global events, funding priorities, and political realities are reshaping the donor landscape and what it means for local and refugee-led organisations. Together, they explore: ✔️ How COVID-19 and climate change changed donor priorities ✔️ Whether localisation has gone beyond policy language ✔️ The role of politics in aid, and the risks of short-termism ✔️ Kenya’s Shirika Plan and how it signals a new direction ✔️ Advice for grassroots organisations navigating this new reality Tune in for a timely and insightful conversation on power, policy, and how we fund the future of refugee response. 🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & all major platforms. Don’t forget to subscribe and share. Music Credits:  Pre-into music: The Remains of Hope /Magnus Ringlblom/ Epidemic Sound Hook Music:  From Stardust - Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen/Epidemic Sound Intro and Outro Music: The Light/Loving Caliber/Ooyy/ Epidemic Sound

This World Refugee Day, we celebrate a superpower often overlooked in humanitarian systems: community. In this episode of Between the Lines, host Mwara Namelok is joined by George Dralagar (Youth Voices Community) and Adior Ibrahim (COHERE), two refugee leaders building tangible, community-led solutions in Kenya. Together, they discuss: Why capacity strengthening must replace outdated ideas of capacity building The structures refugee communities have already developed: from youth-run training hubs to mutual aid networks How legal barriers and restrictive funding block genuine refugee participation What solidarity truly looks like when it centres trust, not control

In this episode, we head to Kakuma, Kenya, to explore the politics of localised research in the face of shrinking humanitarian funding.  Our Storytelling Officer Devyani Nighoskar speaks with Franco Ohisa, a researcher and community leader, on what it really means to lead  and be heard  from within. We discuss: 🔹 How funding cuts impact trust in research 🔹 The risks of extractive studies and broken feedback loops 🔹 Practical ways to centre refugee voices and leadership Whether you're a humanitarian worker, donor, or field researcher, this conversation asks the tough questions about equity, power, and representation. Don't forget to subscribe and share. Stay tuned for more episodes!   References:  DRC: Localisation of Protection Programming in Garissa & Turkana, Kenya Bridging Worlds: Insights From a Refugee Researcher   Music Credits:  Pre-into music: The Remains of Hope /Magnus Ringlblom/ Epidemic Sound Hook Music:  Elegy Unspoken/Rachel Sandy/Epidemic Sound; Audio clip from the protest in Kakuma Refugee Camp, courtesy of Franco Hisa Intro and Outro Music: The Light/Loving Caliber/Ooyy/ Epidemic Sound

 In many parts of the world, women are forced to carry the weight of climate adaptation when men migrate in search of better livelihoods. This episode is part of our Lines of Inquiry series – a behind-the-scenes look at how Samuel Hall approaches research on migration and displacement. 🎙️ In this episode, host Mwara Namelok speaks with Wendy Indira, an Area Coordinator at Samuel Hall, about the intersections of climate change, gender, and migration. Drawing on fieldwork from Kenya, Somalia, and Nigeria, they explore: ✔️ The hidden labour women take on in climate-affected communities ✔️ Why adaptation often falls disproportionately on women ✔️ How women’s knowledge and networks are shaping grassroots climate solutions ✔️ What policy shifts are needed to better support women on the frontlines of climate change From pastoralist communities to urban settlements, this episode dives into real-world stories that challenge our assumptions and amplify women's resilience.   References:  UNDP; Leading the Way: Women Navigating Climate Change, Mobility, and Resilience in Africa. HABITABLE; Habitability and Adaptation to a Changing Climate: Impacts of climate change on agriculture and human mobility GHANA MALI KENYA ⁠Coping With Climate Change — At Home & Away in Kenya⁠ Music Credits:  Pre-into music: The Remains of Hope /Magnus Ringlblom/ Epidemic Sound Hook Music: Torn from Your Embrace/Jon Bjork/Epidemic Sound Intro and Outro Music: The Light/Loving Caliber/Ooyy/ Epidemic Sound

📊 What we measure shapes what we manage. But do our metrics truly reflect the realities we aim to change?

Nhial’s journey—from Kakuma refugee camp to winning the Global Student Prize—offers valuable insights on empowerment, local leadership, and meaningful refugee inclusion. Through Nhial’s story, we explore how humanitarian practices can evolve to genuinely work with the communities they aim to support.

In Kenya, where over half a million refugees seek safety and opportunity, digital skills are emerging as a crucial pathway to self-sufficiency. But are these tech-driven solutions addressing deeper structural challenges—or just a quick fix?

How can faith actors effectively support local humanitarian and development efforts and strengthen localisation efforts?

In this second episode, we are unpacking the term ‘resilience’’  What is the meaning of resilience and why is it such a popular word within the humanitarian space? Does resilience as an umbrella term absolve organisations of accountability? Does it put the burden of recovery on individuals rather than focus on systemic issues ? Or is it simply a term to celebrate those who have overcome extraordinary challenges. Tune in and listen as we navigate these questions  in this thought-provoking episode, hosted by Communications Intern Mwara Namelok and Samuel Hall’s co-founder, Herve Nicolle.    Pre-into music: Daylight Soft - Music by Vladimir Sheshnev from PixabayIntro and Outro Music: Eco Technology - Music by Aleksey Chistilin from PixabayNews clip music: https://www.FesliyanStudios.comBreak Music: Chili Abstract - Music by Yurii Semchyshyn from PixabayResearch References: On the Long Run: The Story of A (Refugee) UltraMarathon Runner: François Msafiri Echoes of Change: How one Maasai Woman-led CBO is Empowering Women in The Face of Climate Change Between Tradition & Transition: Gendered Perspectives on Climate Mobility Among the Maasai in Suswa, Kenya https://www.samuelhall.org/publications/iom-amp-unep-nbspidentifying-climate-adaptive-solutions-to-displacement-in-somalia?rq=climate%20adaptive%20solutions https://www.samuelhall.org/publications/iom-afghanistan-unpacking-the-realities-in-displacement-affected-communities-since-august-2021?rq=%20Displacement%20affected%20communities%20in%20afghanistan Don't forget to subscribe and share. Stay tuned for more episodes!  

In our inaugural episode, we're diving into ‘Decolonising Migration and Displacement Research’ – a transformative approach that challenges deep-rooted biases and narratives.  Join us as we unravel the layers of this movement, exploring its impact on policy, public perception, and the lives of those on the move. Hosted by our Storytelling & Communications officer; Devyani Nighoshkar and our resident expert; Juliette Samman, a research lead at Samuel Hall, based in Lebanon; the episode delves into how researchers can dismantle enduring colonial structures in the field of migration research. MUSIC: Pre-into music: Daylight Soft - Music by Vladimir Sheshnev from PixabayIntro and Outro Music: Eco Technology - Music by Aleksey Chistilin from PixabayNews clip music: https://www.FesliyanStudios.comBreak Music: Chili Abstract - Music by Yurii Semchyshyn from PixabayResearch References: On Participatory forums: https://www.samuelhall.org/publications/participatory-forum-on-protracted-displacement-in-an-urban-world https://www.unhcr.org/media/press-coverage-refugee-and-migrant-crisis-eu-content-analysis-five-european-countries https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/highereducation/2019/07/19/migration-studies-from-dehumanising-to-decolonising/ Lifelines & Dreams Methodology https://www.samuelhall.org/publications/knomad-youth-migration-amp-development-a-new-lens-for-critical-times https://www.samuelhall.org/publications/ref-south-sudans-decades-of-displacement-understanding-return-and-questioning-reintegration Don't forget to subscribe and share. Stay tuned for more episodes!