Kenya has been named as one of the countries hosting secret discipline camps where children from Europe are sent under the guise of rehabilitation, according to an investigation by Finland’s public broadcaster, Yle.
The report indicates that some children, primarily from Somali families living in Europe, are sent to camps in Kenya and Somalia without their consent.
Yle journalist Wali Hashi gained access to several camps by posing as a concerned parent seeking strict discipline for his child. During his visit to a camp in Kenya, Hashi met a teenage boy brought from Stockholm, and camp officials confirmed that children from Finland had previously been held there.
While parents are often told the centres provide moral or religious guidance, the investigation’s footage and testimonies paint a different picture. Children were reportedly subjected to physical punishment, being chained to beds, and denied food. Former detainees described the abuse starting shortly after parents left, with staff using fear and violence to enforce obedience and religious practices.
One Finnish national recalled being sent to Kenya at the age of 12, enduring years of physical and mental hardship. “They beat us with wooden sticks until they broke, then used water pipes,” he said.
The practice, known as dhaqan celis (meaning “return to culture”), is intended to correct behaviors such as skipping school or adopting Western habits. However, the investigation found that it has become a profitable system, with families paying hundreds of euros monthly.
Foreign embassies, including those of Norway and Denmark, have intervened to assist traumatized youths who escaped or were rescued from these institutions.
Human rights groups have expressed concern over child safety and legal violations, urging Kenyan authorities to investigate institutions claiming to offer discipline or religious training and ensure children’s rights are protected.
The investigation has renewed calls for strict oversight to prevent abuse hidden behind cultural or religious pretexts and to safeguard the welfare of children.
