Alpha Language Study Centre (ALSC)

Proficiency in English as a second language

INTRODUCTION
Kakuma refugee camp is a multi-national, multi-ethnic and multi-lingual camp where English is
used as an official working language by agencies and used as a lingua franca among different
community members in daily communication. There is a huge demand for communication skills
training in English as a second language by different groups of the refugee population as exhibited
below. The gap widened after Windle Trust Kenya, an organization working with refugees in
Kakuma, closed down Kakuma English Language Programme which it ran until 2010. The needs
of different categories of refugees can be classified as below.
I. Vulnerable Women
Women have unique need for English. There are some issues that women need to talk to gender or
womens programme officers in the camp directly about issues affecting them without necessarily
passing through translators male translators as most translators are. The importance of equipping
women with communicative skills in English is paramount.
II. The youth
The youth need English language skill beyond daily communication. School-going age new arrival
young refugees cannot access education provided in the camp or outside the camp at equivalent
level with their countrys due to lack of efficiency in English. Some young refugees have skills
which they brought from their home countries but could not get volunteer jobs with agencies in the
camp to use their talents due to lack of English.
III. Refugee Leaders
Refugee leaders such as block and zone leaders, youth and women leaders, religious and opinion
leaders are bridges between their members and agencies and the government. They present the
issues affecting their members and deliver directives and announcements from camp managers
office, government of Kenya, and humanitarian agencies respectively. In this respect, refugee
leaders need efficiency in English.
IV. Common refugee
Kakuma refugee camp is a multi-national, multi-ethnic and multi-lingual refugee camp where
English is used as lingua franca among different community members who come to contact at
various venues such as food distribution centers, water collection points, health care centers,
markets, restaurants, etc and most importantly at different training workshops conducted by
agencies working with refugees in the camp. The need for English language skill training by
common refugee is evident.

Alpha Language Study Centre (ALSC)

Proficiency in English as a second language
THE FOUNDATION
After volunteering with various agencies such as Filmaid Kakuma, Windle Trust Kenya Kakuma
progremme, Don Bosco Kakuma Vocational Training Centre, UNHCR and JRS to mention a few,
mainly in education sector, I decided to resign from volunteering with agencies and fill the gap and
carry on the English language skill training when Windle Trust stopped funding Kakuma English
Language Programme in 2010 in different angle based on the rationale that when agencies pull out,
the community owns the project.
After resigning from Don Bosco Kakuma Vocational Training Centre where I was teaching both
basic and intermediate English, I founded Alpha Language Study Centre (ALSC) in June 2011 with
little resources at available the skill I have got being.
Alpha Language Study Centre (ALSC) is based in Kakuma refugee camp, Kakuma 1, Zone 2 in a
classroom offered by IRC which used to be adult education classroom in the 1990s to early 2000.
THE PROGRAMME
Alpha Language Study Centre offers a certificate communicative English language course in two
intakes for the duration of 6 months first intake from January to June and second intake from July
to December with daily lessons of 5 days a week.
INTERMEDIATE COURSE
This is designed to cater for refugees and the host community members who speak, write and read
in English at lowest level with demonstrated grammatical errors that need to be corrected through
training and learn new skills. Integrated course content is used bringing intermediate I and upper
intermediate level together. The course focuses on helping learners improve their English in four
areas: writing, reading, listening and speaking.

Intermediate July Dec 2013 in an exam session

Alpha Language Study Centre (ALSC)

Proficiency in English as a second language
ADVANCED COURSE
The main target of advanced course is the youth because of their aspirations of further education,
getting a job in the camp or outside or already working with agencies but wanted to improve their
English so that they can deliver their duty effectively. However, anybody who is interested in
polishing and improving their English skills further can attend the course. The course also
incorporates some special topics to help the learners improve their general knowledge about the
society and the environment they live in.

Advanced Jan June 2012 graduating class