Abstract
Urban refugees resettled in low- and middle-income countries face diverse stressors exacerbating individual problems and stifling community empowerment. This study utilized a thematic analysis informed by the domains approach to community empowerment to better understand how urban Somali refugees in Kenya describe community functioning. This Somali community identified multiple beliefs, needs, and barriers related to communal and individual functioning, relating these to the intersection of community competence, engagement, and capacity. Intersections are cause and solution to mental health problems, psychosocial dysfunction, and impeded development of community structure, necessitating prioritization of community development in any interventional efforts with this community.
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Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank Somali refugee community leaders and participants of the study in Nairobi, Kenya. This research was possible due to generous support from Tawakal Medical Centre (TMC) and USAID—Kenya Transitional Initiative (KTI).
Funding
This study was funded by the USAID—Kenya (Grant number: CHXEAS043).
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Ferguson, A., Swan, L.E.T. & Im, H. A Domains Approach to Perceived Problems and Solutions for Community Empowerment in an Urban Refugee Community in Kenya. Glob Soc Welf 7, 263–274 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40609-019-00150-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40609-019-00150-7