Dadaab, Kenya – In the Dadaab refugee camp, refugees trapped in a state of endless displacement have found a lifeline in football, offering ambitious young athletes a pathway away from drugs and depression – and in one case, an unusual business opportunity. Located in the arid eastern stretch of Kenya near the border with Somalia, Dadaab is one of the largest refugee camps in the world. The camp was established by the United Nations in 1991 to accommodate a large number of refugees fleeing the civil war in Somalia. Today, Dadaab houses approximately 380,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers, more than half of whom are under the age of 18. Although the camp was intended to be a temporary solution, many residents have spent their entire lives living in tents covered with plastic and makeshift wooden structures.
The war-affected refugees in the camp often suffer from depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and anxiety due to the uncertain future and limited opportunities while living in the camp. Tragically, some young refugees have even taken their own lives. In such bleak conditions, it is not uncommon for residents of Dadaab to resort to drugs and substance abuse to cope with their despair. This is where football comes into play.
With no access to regular psychological services, the well-attended football matches in the camp have become a critical form of alternative therapy. According to Ahmed Bile Abde, a former football star from Somalia and an advocate against substance abuse in the camp, there has been a decline in drug use among the youth due to regular football tournaments.
Recent research supports the effectiveness of this approach. A 2023 study from Australia found that physical activity is 1.5 times more effective in managing depression than counseling or medication. Abdullah Mohamed Bunow, a coach in the Dagahaley refugee camp, one of the three camps that make up Dadaab, notes that “football has become one of the most important ways” the camp keeps youth away from drugs and other pitfalls.
The camp’s football culture includes both senior and junior tournaments held across the three camps that comprise this vast refugee complex. On tournament days, thousands of spectators gather around dusty fields to watch young players kick the ball under the scorching sun. Due to a lack of playing equipment, children often play barefoot and change shirts when substituted, as there are too few jerseys to equip an entire team. Only one field has actual benches along the sidelines.
Regardless of the quality of equipment, the lively matches create a festive atmosphere in the often gloomy camp. Players beam with joy when they take home a coveted tournament trophy, and spectators are intensely engaged in the outcomes of the games. Some football tournaments mark significant events such as World Refugee Day and are sponsored by groups like Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders).
While the camp has not yet produced world-famous footballers, it has seen a few Olympic athletes. Since the refugee Olympic team debuted at the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, several athletes from Dadaab have emerged, including James Nyang Chiengjiek, Anjelina Nadai Lohalith, and Rose Nathike Lokonyen, all refugees from South Sudan.
One of Dadaab’s biggest football stars is Bol Bakuyony Nyieth, a 26-year-old South Sudanese refugee who lost his home to civil war and arrived in 2013. He is known not only for his skills on the pitch but also for his thriving homemade business producing footballs, which sell out in the camp faster than he can make them.
Nyieth started his business two years ago after receiving training from the Norwegian Refugee Council (Norsk Folkehjelp), which provides vocational training for camp residents in areas such as tailoring, electrical work, and soap production. He sells the footballs for 2,000 Kenyan shillings (approximately $15), nearly half the price of the imported footballs, which previously cost $30. His workshop is a modest tent made from sticks, where he hand-sews each ball.
“If I make one mistake during the sewing process, I have to start the entire process over again. Therefore, it can sometimes take three days to complete one ball,” says Nyieth. To add a local touch, he prints “Made in Dagahaley” on them, the name of the camp where he lives and works. To meet demand, Nyieth frequently hires other refugees to assist him. “I do this not just for business. I also want to inspire youth and promote peace,” he explains.
Regardless of his motivations, the lower price has made Nyieth’s footballs a great success. The camp’s scrappy football teams see them as a significant gain, as each player typically has to contribute to buying a team ball, which is a considerable expense for predominantly unemployed refugees. His customers also include humanitarian organizations working in Dadaab. Camp officials estimate that his local footballs now account for about 30 percent of those kicked around in Dadaab.
“We bought a ball from him last December. If we hadn’t been able to get one, our team would have definitely collapsed,” said Mohamud Aden Hassan, captain of one of the football teams in the camp.
Remarkably, Nyieth has managed to keep his football production running, even though he cannot leave the camp to source raw materials due to strict security measures that require special permits that are rarely granted for entering and exiting Dadaab. “I could produce more if I had the freedom to move, but that is not possible due to the housing policy,” laments Nyieth, who has materials sent from Nairobi.
Nonetheless, Nyieth’s ambition to succeed as an entrepreneur far exceeds the limitations of refugee life: “I dream of having a large, thriving company that produces sports equipment in our camp.” As long as life in Dadaab remains the only long-term option for many, it seems that sport may be the only way out – not just as a temporary relief from a host of mental health issues for the refugees, but possibly as a pathway for the fortunate few who are able to leave the camp one day.