The PROSPECTS team worked closely with the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) to adapt the Haba Haba voluntary savings scheme to meet the needs of refugees.

Prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Kenya developed a keen interest in extending social protection to workers in the informal economy. PROSPECTS, together with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, conducted a study of social protection coverage and gaps for workers in the informal economy, including refugees. Based on the outcomes, the programme team supported the extension of the national strategy for social protection to the informal economy. The refugee aspect was mainstreamed in the strategy, to include them from the outset. This was done through various stakeholder consensus-building workshops and events. In November 2023, the strategy was launched and implemented in two counties.

In parallel, the Kenyan National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) approached the ILO to develop and cost a universal maternity benefit for the country. PROSPECTS joined forces with an EU-financed social protection and public financial management project to design and cost a maternity income benefit for women in the informal economy. Female refugees enrolled in the NHIF would also receive a new maternity cash benefit. Several workshops were conducted with key stakeholders to agree on the design.

As refugees in Kenya were working almost exclusively in the informal economy and had limited access to banking or other savings mechanisms for old age, the programme team worked closely with the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) to adapt the Haba Haba voluntary savings scheme to the needs of refugees. The decision to do so stemmed from a feasibility study conducted by the ILO, which identified the main barriers to refugee participation in the scheme and a considerable stakeholder interest to develop a joint national roadmap for including refugees in the scheme. One of the key issues was lack of proper documentation, which prevented many refugees from enrolling in the scheme. In response, the registration requirements were modified and continuous dialogue between the NSSF and the Department of Refugee Services facilitated effective coordination. In addition to simplifying the registration processes, the adaptations included mobile-based platforms so that refugees did not need to rely on banking infrastructure, flexible contribution structures and the option to make early withdrawals in case of repatriation. Information materials in several languages were also provided and community outreach efforts were made. The outreach activities by partners were accompanied by financial literacy programmes targeting refugees. Bringing all stakeholders together helped overcome some entrenched barriers – for example, the Department of Refugee Services accelerated the issuance of refugee IDs in partnership with the National Registration Bureau, helping refugees obtain the necessary documentation for inclusion in the scheme. This adaptation of a social security scheme is an important development in moving away from humanitarianism and towards a more sustainable development approach to refugee support in Kenya.

Find out more about the Haba Haba savings scheme here.

Find out more about the PROSPECTS programme’s wider learning on gender and disability inclusion.