A Qualitative Study of the Psychosocial Benefits, Feasibility, and Acceptability of Yoga for Yoga Teachers and Students in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya

The present study examined the psychosocial benefits, feasibility, and acceptability of the Mind Body Wellbeing Program, a trauma-informed and yoga-based program that was implemented in the Kakuma refugee camp, in Kenya, Africa. The program aims to reduce symptoms of trauma and enhance well-being through four domains, including mindful practice, physical practice, inquiry, and assisting and support. All yoga teachers were living in Kakuma Refugee Camp and were trained by Africa Yoga Project, a nonprofit organization that trains and employs yoga teachers in Kenya. Six teachers and ten students were interviewed about their experiences in the program, effectiveness of the program, benefits for displaced populations, and suggestions for improvement. The study used interpretive phenomenological analysis, a qualitative research approach committed to the examination of how people make sense of their major life experiences. We identified a total of 7 emergent themes, comprising 25 subthemes, which were further broken down into 92 unique codes. The 7 themes that appeared from the interviews were: (1) unique experiences of living in a refugee camp, (2) teachers and their training, (3) the process of learning and practicing yoga, (4) benefits of yoga, (5) yoga and refugee trauma, (6) acceptability and accessibility of yoga classes, and (7) future directions.