heart of a developing global trade network . Still lacking sufficient public services and proper infrastructure , the area ’ s residential character has been transformed over the past two decades into a commercial and highly dynamic space . Encouraged by Kenya ’ s already largely informal economy , refugees and immigrants have managed to make their way through both large and small enterprises , slowly purchasing parcels of land for development . Eastleigh has become one of Nairobi ’ s most densely populated commercial centres with an unregulated and decentralized economy that spans across the city and connects to disparate locations such as the Middle East and North Africa . This Somali business capital today operates on many levels and provides job opportunities for thousands of refugees . Due to the relatively advanced infrastructure of Nairobi , Eastleigh has quickly become a Somali business center bustling with street vendors ; shopping malls packed with imported goods , and branches of Somali banks that are not functional in the home state . Somali businessmen also dominate the transportation industry . The ‘ Garissa Lodge ’, a guesthouse-gone-shopping mall , remains a symbol of Somali entrepreneurship and refugee persistence . Their business , both local and outsourced , enriches economic activity within the area and beyond through this expanding network of economic and special relations .
Lessons Learned :
( 1 ) Refugee influx can provide great economic benefits to host communities and States .
( 2 ) The introduction of new goods and products enriches the market and encourages competitions .
( 3 ) Incoming refugees provide opportunities for the expansion of social and economic networks both on a local and global scale .
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