KENYA / REFUGEE SOAP PRODUCER

Burundian refugee, Innocent Havyarimana has been making and selling soap since 2015. To help prevent the spread of coronavirus, he has scaled up production and reduced prices so more people can use soap to wash their hands. UNHCR

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:14
• Production Date: 14 May 2020
• Asset Language: English
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES - UNHCR
• Subject Topical: DISEASE CONTROL; REFUGEES
• Geographic Subject: BURUNDI; KENYA
• MAMS Id: 2545027
• Parent Id: 2545027
• Alternate Title: unifeed200514c

Description

STORY: KENYA / REFUGEE ENTREPRENEUR
TRT: 2:14
SOURCE: UNHCR /FILE
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE CREDIT UNHCR ON SCREEN
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH /NATS

DATELINE: APRIL 2020, KAKUMA REFUGEE CAMP, KENYA /FILE

Shotlist

APRIL 2020, KAKUMA REFUGEE CAMP, KENYA

1. Med shot, Burundian refugee Innocent Havyarimana and employee mixing soap
2. Close up, soap mixture
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Innocent Havyarimana, Burundian refugee:
“Because of this coronavirus the production has been increased so much because all people now are in need of soap.”
4. Wide shot, Innocent and staff mixing soap
5. Close up, soap on wooden spoon
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Innocent Havyarimana, Burundian refugee:
“On my side as a soap producer, first I decided to put on a lower price so that each and every one will be able to afford the soap.”
7. Various shots, Innocent packaging soap
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Innocent Havyarimana, Burundian refugee:
“Currently because of this coronavirus, the demand which is high is hand wash, hand sanitizer and multipurpose soap.”
9. Close up, Innocent packaging soaps
10. Close up, Innocent holding up one of his soap products
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Innocent Havyarimana, Burundian refugee:
“Coronavirus affected the world plus this Kakuma Refugee Camp. Most of refugees are fearing very much this coronavirus that is why now you can’t find more than three people who are in the same place.”
12. Various shots, Innocent harvesting Aloe Vera

FILE - KAKUMA REFUGEE CAMP, KENYA

13. Drone shot of Kakuma refugee camp

APRIL 2020, KAKUMA REFUGEE CAMP, KENYA

14. Med shot, humanitarian workers checking temperature of refugees
15. Various shots, refugee washing her hands
16. Wide shot, refugees receiving soap
17. Various shots, Innocent mixing soap ingredients

Storyline

Burundian refugee, Innocent Havyarimana has been making and selling soap since 2015. To help prevent the spread of coronavirus, he has scaled up production and reduced prices so more people can use soap to wash their hands.

Havyarimana fled political violence in Burundi in 2013 to Kenya’s Kakuma refugee camp where he found safety and opportunity.

Back home, he had just completed a chemistry course and was interning at a chemical company. In 2015, he was able to access a loan through UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency to start his own soapmaking business in Kakuma. Using his knowledge in chemistry, he tapped into a market for cleaning products and started his business, Glap Enterprises. It is one of several businesses thriving in an economy fueled by refugees and the host community.

When the first coronavirus cases were reported in Kenya, UNHCR stepped up prevention and response measures in refugee camps, increasing soap distribution, water access and spreading awareness about the disease.

Innocent wanted to make his own contribution to the response so he increased soap production, started a line of hand sanitizers and reduced his prices so that more people could afford to stay safe. Innocent sells his products to staff from humanitarian organizations within the camp, refugees and members of the host community.