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A small business and big plans for tomorrow

When Ruth* thinks about the future, she sees possibilities for herself and her children. She wants to grow her grocery business and learn dressmaking, giving her another way to earn an income and support her family. The young mother, who lives in Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, has faced long periods of uncertainty since leaving South Sudan. In recent years, providing food for her children became a daily struggle that affected her emotional well-being.

Ruth arrived in Kakuma as a child, accompanying her sister and her sister’s children. Their journey to Kenya was difficult. Without enough money for transport, they walked for days, and an armed group took their belongings along the way.

After arriving at the camp, the family settled in the community, and Ruth joined school. Over time, she started a family of her own. As a single mother, Ruth took on the responsibility of caring for her children with limited support. When her sister returned to South Sudan, she lost someone she had relied on, leaving her with fewer people to turn to.

Determined to provide for her children, she looked for casual work washing clothes in the community. She also collected firewood. Yet the little she earned was often not enough to put food on the table.

The strain of being unable to provide enough food for her children began to affect Ruth’s emotional well-being. She often withdrew and cried, overwhelmed by the responsibility of caring for her family with limited support. As her distress deepened, Ruth attempted to take her own life. A neighbour found her and intervened, then helped connect her with support at Danish Refugee Council.

A Danish Refugee Council (DRC) community worker visited Ruth, provided initial emotional support and told her about the psychosocial services available. At first, she was hesitant about seeking further counselling, but a neighbour encouraged her to visit DRC.

Ruth began individual psychosocial support sessions and later joined a counselling group funded by the European Union’s humanitarian aid. The group brought together people experiencing different challenges and offered a space to reflect, connect and learn ways to manage difficult emotions.

“Listening to others helped me realize that I was not alone in facing difficulties.” “Today, my stress has reduced and I sleep better. I spend more time with my children, enjoys their company and I’ve begun interacting more with my neighbours. When I feel overwhelmed, I use the breathing exercises I learned during the sessions”, says Ruth.

One activity that stayed with her was the “River of Life” exercise. By reflecting on both happy and difficult moments, Ruth began to see her experiences as part of a life that could continue to change. Hearing from other participants also helped her realize that she was not alone in facing hardship.

Other forms of support have also helped her address some of her immediate needs. After heavy rains damaged her shelter, Ruth used cash assistance to repair it and start a small grocery business.

The business gives her an activity to build on as she works to provide for her family. Looking ahead, she hopes to expand it and enrol in dressmaking training to develop another source of income. “I hope to grow my grocery business and learn dressmaking so that I can find more ways to provide for my children”, says Ruth.

Her challenges have not disappeared, but Ruth is finding ways to manage them and making plans for the future.

Ruth is a pseudonym. Some personal details have been withheld to protect her identity.