The Danish Refugee Council (DRC)’s addresses protracted displacement issues by promoting self-reliance and social cohesion between displaced populations and host communities. Challenges arise due to restrictions on movement and work rights for refugees, underdeveloped local systems, and a dependency on humanitarian aid. In 2024, DRC Kenya began a shift towards a systems-thinking approach to address displacement in fragile contexts, integrating short-term humanitarian support with long-term durable solutions, focusing on economic as well as social systems. The program places a particular focus on greeting opportunities and enhancing resilience for marginalized groups, primarily women and youth.

To facilitate the transition to systems thinking and systems-based approaches, DRC engaged MSA to conduct market systems analyses for its Garissa and Turkana programs. MSA led the analysis and supported local staff to develop a systems-based implementation strategy. It is also laid the groundwork for DRC to implement Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) and Monitoring and Results Measurement (MRM) systems to systems work, capturing interventions and outcomes while supporting adaptive management.