Expression of Interest for North Rift Region Partnerships in: Economic Recovery, Protection and Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (HDP) 40 views0 applications

Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading international NGO and one of the few with a specific expertise in forced displacement. Active in 40 countries with 9,000 employees and supported by 7,500 volunteers, DRC protects, advocates, and builds sustainable futures for refugees and other displacement affected people and communities. DRC works during displacement at all stages: In the acute crisis, in displacement, when settling and integrating in a new place, or upon return. DRC provides protection and life-saving humanitarian assistance; supports displaced persons in becoming self-reliant and included into hosting societies; and works with civil society and responsible authorities to promote protection of rights and peaceful coexistence

DRC has been operational in Kenya since 2010 and is UNHCR’s largest Implementing Partner in the refugee response. Alongside this DRC Kenya has a wide range of humanitarian, development and peacebuilding programming that offers an opportunity to develop our identity in Kenya as uniquely placed to deliver across the ‘triple nexus’.

DRC has also been operating in the North Rift region, implementing Protection, Economic Recovery, cross-border resilience, Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (HDP) programmes. The operations in the North Rift have primarily targeted pastoral community regions across border areas that are prone to conflicts driven by competition over natural resources. The work has largely focused on fostering social coexistence and strengthening peaceful relations between and among pastoral communities.

Program Context:

Turkana County is located in northwestern Kenya and is the largest county by land area, with its capital in Lodwar. It borders Uganda, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Lake Turkana, making it strategically important for regional trade and cross-border dynamics. Turkana County, with a population of 1.0 million (2024 projection) is characterized by arid and semi-arid climatic conditions, high temperatures, low and erratic rainfall, and recurrent droughts that severely affect livelihoods and food security. Livelihood systems are largely pastoral, making the area highly vulnerable to climate shocks and livestock losses. The county faces persistent challenges, including chronic water scarcity, inadequate health and education infrastructure, high poverty rate of between 77%-82%, high in the country limited access to quality basic services, and low literacy rates. Insecurity linked to cross-border tensions and the sporadic attack, has historically constrained development efforts, discouraged private sector investment, and disrupted service delivery in some parts of the county. Weak road networks and poor market access, particularly during drought and flooding seasons, isolates remote areas and also further limit economic growth and humanitarian access. Environmental degradation, overgrazing, and the impacts of climate change intensify pressure on natural resources, often contributing to communal and inter-clan conflicts over grazing land, water resources, and pastoral migration routes. Additionally, youth unemployment, gender inequality, limited financial inclusion and high reliance on humanitarian assistance continue to hinder socio-economic progress thus making resilience building, climate adaptation, peacebuilding and diversified livelihood opportunities essential for sustainable development.

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) North Rift regions continue to partner with local organizations with significant experience in the region with expertise in Economic recovery, Protection and HDP. This is in-line with DRC’s strategic focus on localization. Below are key sectors and areas of focus: –

Economic Recovery

The Economic Recovery (EcoRec) Sector is one of the core sectors and aims to ensure that immediate needs are covered through life-saving assistance while supporting conflict- and displacement-affected people to meet their essential needs independently and sustainably. The Sector focuses on strengthening individuals’ and households’ capacity to subsist and/or generate income and economic assets in a safe, dignified, and resilient manner, moving them away from long-term dependency on external aid toward self-reliance. The sector operates through three mutually reinforcing sub-sectors: Food Security, Financial Inclusion, and Decent Livelihoods, recognizing that access to nutritious food, stable income, and financial services are interconnected pillars of resilience. EcoRec programming includes interventions such as Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA), Entrepreneurship, , start-up support, skills development, financial access (informal-savings group support and formal support through bank linkages, labor market assessments, and job placements, Regenerative Agriculture design (RAD), digital economy, circular economy, food security, and systems-based approaches that strengthen markets and institutions. The sector emphasizes quality across the project cycle through Project Cycle management (PCM): strong assessments, market analysis, modality selection tools, monitoring frameworks, and alignment with protection principles. Ultimately, EcoRec does not aim to recover entire economies but to restore and strengthen the economic capacity of individuals and households affected by shocks, enabling them to cope and recover from future stresses in a sustainable and dignified way across the target areas.

Protection

DRC North Rift is seeking to partner with local organizations, Women-Led Organizations (WLO) and Refugee led organization (RLO) to strengthen protection programming and enhance the implementation of child protection services, GBV prevention and response services, support GBV disclosures through safe referrals, across the North Rift region. Partnering with local actors aligns with DRC’s overall strategy of promoting locally led solutions, enhancing community ownership, and ensuring context-specific, culturally and religious appropriate interventions. Local organizations bring valuable knowledge of the local dynamics, trusted relationships with communities, and the ability to deliver timely and sustainable support. Through these partnerships, DRC aims to build the capacity of local structures, foster inclusive participation and contribute to more effective and impactful GBV and CP programming in the North Rift by applying a gender transformative lens across all activities.

Humanitarian Disarmament and Peace Building (HDP)

There is a long history of violent conflict between communities across the North Rift region. Conflict drivers are linked to long-term pressures on pastoralist livelihoods, including climate change-related drought, population growth, livestock theft, clanism and land degradation (driven mainly by over- grazing) – which have increased the frequency and intensity of conflict. Resilience of local communities to climate-related shocks (e.g., drought and floods) links with communities’ access to diverse forms of human, social, economic capital – and to their capacity to develop, acquire or exchange these resources. Strengthening local communities’ capacity to prevent, manage and resolve violent conflict in the target areas is critical – as conflict otherwise significantly undermines and depletes communities’ diverse forms of capital and their resilience capacities, tipping communities further into crisis.

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC), Would like to partner with likeminded organizations with significant experience in HDP in the project areas, with a unique focus on peace building hence in cooperating with local knowledge for sustainable development.

Rationale for Partnership

As part of the North Rift region programming, DRC is seeking to partner with local organizations to strengthen the implementation of Economic Recovery, Protection and HDP sector-based projects. Therefore, partnering with local actors aligns with DRC’s overall strategy of promoting locally led solutions, enhancing community ownership, and ensuring context-specific, culturally appropriate interventions. Local organizations bring valuable knowledge of the local dynamics, trusted relationships with communities, and the ability to deliver locally led timely and sustainable interventions that will bring impact to the persons of concern. Through these partnerships, DRC aims to build the capacity of local structures by giving them the opportunity to provide locally led solutions, foster inclusive participation and contribute to more effective and impactful programming in fragile refugee camp context and conflicts along the borderlands.

Objectives of the Partnership

Interventions will be aimed at supporting communities in project areas

The program aims to strengthen the resilience, self-reliance, and well-being of vulnerable and displacement-affected households in North Rift Counties, especially Turkana and West Pokot both the host and Persons of Concern (POCs) through integrated interventions across Economic recovery, protection, and peacebuilding. It improves access to essential services, social cohesion and peaceful co-existence, protection, and livelihood opportunities, while promoting sustainable economic recovery through Self-reliance income-generating activities, financial inclusion, and market system strengthening. The program addresses protection risks, including gender-based violence and child protection concerns, ensuring safe and inclusive community environments. Community capacity is strengthened to prevent, manage, and resolve conflicts, promote peaceful coexistence, and enhance local systems and structures that support social cohesion, environmental sustainability, and long-term recovery.

Technical Approach

The implementing partner (IP) will strengthen community resilience through integrated WASH, Economic Recovery, Protection, and HDP interventions.

• Economic Recovery programming will include skills development, cash-based assistance, income-generating initiatives, Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA), skills development, digital economy, Regenerative Agriculture design and support for small businesses to enhance self-reliance and economic empowerment.
• Protection interventions will address GBV and child protection risks, strengthen safe referral pathways, and ensure inclusive community environments.
• HDP-focused activities will strengthen local peace committees, promote social cohesion across ethnic groups, facilitate conflict resolution, and strategically use digital platforms and social media for peace messaging and youth engagement. The IP will also implement transformative peace dividends initiatives targeting women and youth, linking livelihoods and economic empowerment to sustainable conflict prevention, resilience, and recovery.

Counties of Focus

This RFA is intended for the implementation of activities in six (6) sub-counties in Turkana County and one (1) sub-county in West Pokot County: Turkana Central, Turkana West, Loima, Lokiriama, Lokichokio, Turkana North, Turkana South, and North Pokot, respectively.

Submission Requirements

Applicants should provide a comprehensive submission that includes the following information:

• A statement of interest explaining their motivation for partnering with DRC
• An organizational profile detailing their mandate, strategic focus, program and donor portfolio, and geographic reach; and initial ideas on how they can contribute to the program’s objectives.
• Partners are expected to demonstrate expertise in the thematic area of interest and must have implemented programs related to the thematic area of choice (Protection, HDP, Economic Recovery and WASH)
• They should also highlight their value addition, outlining unique strengths, expertise, or resources they bring to the partnership.
• Submissions must include relevant experience with similar projects or programs in the North Rift region, especially Turkana and West Pokot Counties, their approach to community engagement in program design and an assessment of potential risks along with proposed mitigation strategies.
• Applicants should describe their experience in coordination mechanisms both formal and informal.
• Applicants must provide Audited financial reports for the last 2 years.
• Applicants should have proof of 2 years of working experience in Turkana and/or West Pokot

Eligibility Criteria

Submissions will be reviewed and scored based on several key criteria as follows;

1. Registration status of the organization. The organization MUST be a PBO that is legally registered with operations in North Rift region.
2. The organization must have a clear and well-defined constitution outlining its mandate, purpose, membership structure, and whether it has employed staff.
3. The organization must have been in existence and operational in Turkana and/or West Pokot Counties.
4. The organization must demonstrate experience in implementing programmes in cross-border areas for the last 2 years.
5. Applications must clearly demonstrate the thematic area of interest and partners can only apply for a maximum of two thematic areas (Protection, HDP, Economic Recovery and WASH)
6. The organization should demonstrate how its vision and mission align with DRC’s goals
7. The organization should demonstrate a clear understanding of the target group they serve and their unique needs.
8. Evidence of strong working relationships with relevant ministries and government department is desirable
9. Basic Financial and Operational Capacity to implement a project.

Disclaimer

Please note that submission in response to this call does not guarantee selection or funding.

DRC reserves the right to accept or reject any or all submissions without obligation or explanation. Shortlisted organizations may be asked to provide additional documentation, such as financial audits or references, as part of the due diligence process.

How to apply

Applicants must submit their proposals on or before 20th May 2026 at 5.00 pm. Submissions should be in Word format and sent via email to [email protected]. Proposals should be submitted in English.

For any questions or clarifications, applicants may contact to send their questions to KEN- [email protected] at least one week before the deadline