Refugee youth The Kamp, and representatives from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation. Italian Cultural Institute Nairobi during the event./ PHOTO; courtesy
Across refugee settings, women and girls navigate layered struggles, limited access to education and employment, cultural expectations, language barriers, and the emotional weight of displacement.
Yet even as they rebuild their lives far from home, a new form of violence has entered their world: technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV).
It is a threat that follows them everywhere in their homes, schools, workplaces, and onto their phones.
When Screens Turn Dangerous: A Survivor’s Account
For Mary Tariku, a refugee at Kakuma and a member of The Kamp, this invisible violence became painfully real.
As a manager at Refugee Teens Talk, she works with teen girls and young mothers facing similar challenges.
“It’s tough for a girl to tell you her story,” Mary says. “These issues are so sensitive, and many of them carry the pain alone.”
Mary chose to break her own silence when she realized it might give others the courage to speak. Her ordeal began when someone stole her photos and used them to create a fake social media account.
The impersonator used her identity to deceive people, friends, strangers, and even married men. “People believed it was me,” she recalls.
“The messages, the conversations, the lies, all of it was happening under my name.”
The situation escalated one afternoon when a woman confronted her with a knife, accusing her of taking money from her husband.
“I kept telling her, ‘It wasn’t me,’ but she didn’t believe a word,” Mary says quietly. “That moment stays with me to this day.”
The aftermath was suffocating. Mary felt watched, judged, and unsafe.
“I couldn’t go to work. I couldn’t even go to church,” she says. “Everywhere I went, I felt people whispering. It was painful.”
With encouragement from her family and friends, she reported the case to authorities, but the impersonator is still at large.
Even so, Mary decided she would speak out so others wouldn’t suffer in silence.
“I wanted girls to know they shouldn’t give up,” she says. “You have to fight for yourself, even when your voice is shaking.”
When Mary shared her ordeal with The Kamp team, they immediately recognized the weight of her experience.
“They told me, ‘You are the story. We don’t need to look for anyone else,” she says.
“That made me emotional because everything I had gone through was so painful, but finally, it had a purpose.”
On November 26th, the Italian Embassy in Kenya, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), and the Italian Cultural Institute in Nairobi, under the Activate Nairobi Campaign, hosted Voices Without Borders, a documentary screening at Unseen Nairobi.
The event highlighted the experiences of refugee women and girls, aligning with this year’s 16 Days of Activism theme: Ending Digital Violence Against Women and Girls.
Mary’s story was central to the conversation, bringing attention to the real dangers of technology-facilitated gender-based violence in refugee settings.
The Kamp: Young People Creating Change
One of those who believed in Mary’s story was Nira Ismael, a producer with The Kamp, a group of young people from Kakuma Refugee Camp who came together to spark change in their community.
“We formed The Kamp because young refugees were never part of decisions affecting them,” Nira explains. “There were so many misunderstandings and frustrations because our voices were missing.”
To change this, the group turned to the biggest platforms of their generation: TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.
Through these channels, they create content that brings together the camp’s diverse nationalities and highlights issues affecting refugees globally: gender-based violence, employment, refugee policies, and youth engagement.
Filmmaking as a Tool for Awareness
Their filmmaking journey began when they joined a one-year diploma program with Historia Sin Kilómetros.
“That program opened a door for us,” Nira says. “During the training, we produced three films that reflect our community.”
Their first film, Mama Bunga, tells the story of a displaced mother who uses her skill in henna artistry to rebuild her life.
Their second, It’s Her, focuses on technology-facilitated gender-based violence inspired by survivors like Mary.
The team has not yet screened the film in Kakuma because the case connected to Mary’s experience is ongoing. “People are still being conned,” Nira says.
“Screening it now could put people at risk, but we know once we show it in the camp, it will spark conversations that are really needed.”
For The Kamp, partnering with the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) was a significant moment.
“People think refugees only struggle with food or shelter,” Nira says.
“But the digital world affects us too. TFGBV is real in Kakuma. That’s why this collaboration mattered it let us tell our story the way we live it.”
Bringing Refugee Voices to a Global Stage
Mirriam Bulbarelli, the Gender Focal Point at the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), emphasizes the importance of including refugee perspectives in the fight against gender-based violence.
“Every year we highlight gender-based violence from different angles,” she explains.
“This year’s theme, ending digital violence against women and girls, is global. It crosses borders and affects communities everywhere, including refugee populations.”
AICS, a governmental agency linked to the Italian government, works primarily as a technical arm of Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, supporting development initiatives across sectors.
Within this framework, the organization has placed a strong focus on gender issues, advocacy, and awareness campaigns.
“We aim not only to spotlight the problem, but also to showcase solutions,” Mirriam says.
“That’s why involving groups like The Kamp is so important; they bring authentic, lived experiences that allow audiences to understand the real challenges refugee women face.”
The Activate Nairobi 2025 campaign brings 88together a series of creative interventions, exhibitions, school film screenings, dance performances, and the Voices Without Borders documentary screening.
“These events are designed to spark conversation and inspire action,” Mirriam says.
“By bringing refugee voices to the center, we ensure that those who are often invisible in policy discussions are seen and heard.”
Their stories resonate not only locally but internationally, reminding everyone that technology-facilitated gender-based violence is not limited by geography, culture, or circumstance.”
Mirriam notes that this collaboration is also about empowerment.
“By working with young refugees and giving them a platform to tell their stories, we help build confidence, resilience, and advocacy skills.”
“They become not only storytellers but also change-makers in their communities. This approach aligns with our mission of promoting sustainable and inclusive development while creating real social impact.”
Speaking Out as an Act of Healing
For Mary, finally telling her story publicly even with the fear and memories it carried became an act of healing and resistance.
“This is for every girl who feels alone,” she says. “Your voice matters. Your safety matters. And your power is your right.”
Through storytelling, creativity, and courage, refugee youth in Kakuma are rewriting the narrative, showing that their stories are not only about struggle but also strength, leadership, and the will to protect one another.
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