Kenya has become a silent hub for secret disciplinary camps where children from Europe suffer abuse hidden behind religion and “rehabilitation.”
A new investigation by Finland’s public broadcaster Yle exposes a cross-border system that traffics vulnerable minors into violent institutions. Parents send children from Finland and Sweden, believing they will receive moral guidance. Instead, many face chains, beatings, isolation, and fear.
These camps operate quietly, earn steady money, and thrive on secrecy. Now, survivor testimonies and undercover footage force Kenya and the world to confront an ugly truth.
Secret Disciplinary Camps Turn Kenya Into a Global Abuse Destination
The Yle investigation, led by journalist Wali Hashi, reveals how Kenya emerged as a destination for secretive disciplinary institutions holding children from Europe. Some Somali parents living in Finland and Sweden send their children to Kenya without public records or oversight.
Hashi accessed the camps by posing as a concerned father seeking “discipline” for his son. Camp operators welcomed him openly. They promised strict moral correction and religious guidance. They also confirmed they hosted minors from Finland and Sweden.
Inside the camps, reality looked brutal. Video footage showed young people shackled to beds. Guards used violence to enforce obedience. Staff isolated children from the outside world and denied them contact with family.
At one camp in Kenya, Hashi met a teenage boy sent from Stockholm. Administrators admitted they had previously hosted youths from Finland. None of the institutions appeared registered or regulated.
Former detainees said abuse started immediately after parents left. Camp staff used fear as a tool of control. Children followed strict religious routines under constant threat of punishment. Guards beat those who questioned orders or failed to comply.
One Finnish citizen said his parents sent him to Kenya at age 12. He remained there for years. He endured regular beatings and deep psychological trauma.
“They used wooden sticks until they broke, or water pipes because those wouldn’t break,” he said. Guards never explained punishments. Violence came without warning.
Images from the investigation showed individuals shackled to beds to restrict movement. The scenes confirmed survivor accounts and exposed a system built on cruelty.
Dhaqan Celis Culture Becomes a Profitable Business
Within Somali diaspora communities, people often call the practice dhaqan celis, meaning “return to culture.” Families believe the process corrects behavior shaped by Western society.
Community members persuade parents that sending children to Kenya solves truancy, petty crime, or cultural conflict. They present the camps as religious schools or moral centers.
The investigation shows something darker. Dhaqan celis has evolved into a business model that exploits parental fear. Camp operators charge families hundreds of euros each month. In Kenya, that money creates strong incentives to keep camps running.
Some parents remain unaware of the abuse. Others suspect harsh discipline but accept it as necessary. Camp staff maintain secrecy by isolating children and controlling communication.
These payments fund operations that continue without inspection. Children remain trapped because distance, language barriers, and fear silence them.
Human rights advocates warn that money keeps the abuse alive. Without financial consequences, the system survives.
Diplomatic Rescues and Kenya’s Legal Blind Spot
Kenya’s role in hosting secret disciplinary camps has drawn international concern. Victims who escaped or sought help contacted foreign embassies while in Kenya.
Diplomatic officials from Norway and Denmark confirmed they encountered traumatized youths rescued from such institutions. Some children reached embassies after fleeing camps on foot. Others received help through local contacts.
These cases exposed major gaps in Kenya’s child protection systems. Many camps operate outside any formal oversight. Authorities rarely inspect religious or informal institutions unless complaints emerge.
Human rights groups say Kenyan law already prohibits child abuse, unlawful detention, and trafficking. The problem lies in enforcement. Officials often lack awareness or resources to track foreign-run camps hidden in rural or urban areas.
Advocates now urge Kenyan authorities to investigate all facilities claiming to rehabilitate children. They call for cooperation with European governments to stop cross-border abuse.
The Yle investigation leaves no doubt. Kenya hosts institutions that violate children’s rights under the guise of discipline and faith. Silence protects abusers. Scrutiny can shut them down.
The exposure of secret disciplinary camps places Kenya at a crossroads. Authorities can ignore the evidence, or they can act to protect children trapped in a system built on fear, profit, and secrecy.
