Hello, we are KLABU 👋🏼 A cross-border club for those who believe in the power of sport and the potential of the refugee community.

We build clubhouses in refugee camps and cities which give refugees the tools to find joy, pride and hope in the practice of sports and feeling of community. KLABU clubhouses give access to sports equipment and activities, broadcast TV matches, music and Wi-Fi within a welcoming space. They’re led by the local refugee and host communities who we engage from inception to execution. We mentor them to run the clubhouses and to encourage everyone to participate in sports, with an extra focus on women and girls. 

You can find KLABU clubhouses in countries like Bangladesh and Kenya, and closer to our KLABU home in Amsterdam and Ter Apel. Our bigger vision is to build the biggest club in the world. We know, it’s pretty big, but so are our ambitions and the need for this club. Every day, we see how sport changes lives, on the ground, in refugee camps and through our programmes around the world. 

We also see how sport can rally support like nothing else. Our partners and supporters include UNHCR the United Nations Refugee Agency, football club Paris Saint-Germain, and architecture firm MVRDV that joined us to create the modular, multi-functional KLABU clubhouse which we are now replicating around the world. This support is much needed - there have never been more refugees in the world than today. The need for activities that go beyond survival is urgent.

To carry out our mission we have a unique dual structure: a foundation and a social enterprise. The KLABU foundation works with local communities to set up and run the KLABU sports clubhouses. The social enterprise supports the foundation by creating and selling sportswear and by collaborating with brands that help us increase our reach and impact.

The goal: to unlock access to sport for 2+ million refugees in 2050 by actively running 300+ KLABU sports clubhouses in refugee camps and cities globally. 

So join us, join the KLABU! 

Over 120 million people across the world are currently forced to flee their homes. Escaping from war and persecution, refugees leave everything behind. Despite being safe, many are traumatised and live in harsh conditions, in urban slums or refugee camps with little access to education and employment. Solutions can take years, meanwhile refugees sit idle in camps, frustration sets in and human potential risks being wasted.

Most sports initiatives in refugee camps, if any, are one-off and sporadic. Donated materials are often not looked after, can be sold or are not suitable to the tough conditions in a camp. Sports programmes end when instructors leave the camp or sponsors simply lose interest.

KLABU provides a long-term solution for young refugees and locals to play sports because it is community-driven. The refugees and locals are engaged from the very beginning, we build the clubhouses together and they are in charge of the day-to-day management of their club.

Other organisations can then use the clubhouses for their programmes - this way we double impact: we provide the hardware and they can provide the software.

Yes, we work directly with refugee and host communities around the world to cater to their needs and wishes and take full ownership of the program. Here are the underlying principles of our approach:

We align closely with the beneficiaries to co-design the program in response to what is most needed and to ensure that our projects are culturally sensitive and appropriate. During the assessment phase we involve the community in focus group discussions and identify representatives who can manage and operate the project on the ground.

We mentor the identified community representatives to operate their clubhouses self-sufficiently and to gradually take full ownership during regular online meetings and frequent capacity building visits in person. This approach not only provides paid employment opportunities but also ensures broad acceptance of the programs. To guarantee more local oversight we work closely together with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, which supports and monitors the performance of our teams on the ground.

At our projects we amplify a network of local partner organisations that can benefit the wellbeing of the community. Our clubhouses become hubs for community-based organisations, musicians, and artists to run their program. These partnerships help integrate our clubhouses into the broader community and extend our program beyond sports.

We conduct interviews, surveys and focus group discussions to collect genuine feedback. This process helps in aligning our efforts with the evolving needs and wishes of the community.

Across the globe sports activities bring joy to people. Sports are also good for health, they promote important values such as fair play and they rally people together. These and other benefits are well-known. But in addition, why do we use sports to support refugees?

We think about how sport can change lives in three ways:

Read more about our impact goals, measurement and results here.

Since we launched KLABU in 2019, we have built the organisation to fully harness sports’ power to unite people from all over the world behind a shared goal.

We work with refugee and host communities around the world to build sports clubhouses sports clubhouses that serve as vibrant community hubs in refugee camps and settlements. The clubhouses are designed to enhance the mental and physical wellbeing of refugees, increase self-reliance, and promote integration with local communities. Here’s how we implement our strategy:

 

Our clubhouses are in contrast to the oftentimes bleak environments of their surroundings, creating an uplifting atmosphere of positivity, relaxation, and joy. At the heart of our facilities is a sport library that gives access to the most seeked after sports items.

 

Each clubhouse is managed by local refugee leaders who organise inclusive activities, lend sports equipment, and create a schedule of events and tournaments. These leaders are supported and mentored by the KLABU team, ensuring they have the skills and resources needed to effectively run the clubhouses.

 

The clubhouses are equipped with solar power and Wi-Fi, transforming them into multifunctional social hubs. Refugees use these spaces to study, work, and participate in educational and safeguarding programs run by other local and refugee-led organizatione, addressing a broad range of needs beyond sports.

 

By including both refugee and host community members in sports activities, KLABU facilitates positive interactions and cooperation. This integration helps to break down social barriers and fosters a sense of unity and mutual understanding.

 

The KLABU social enterprise designs and sells sportswear, with half of the profits funding the Foundation’s activities. This model not only raises awareness about the refugee cause but also provides a steady revenue stream to support and expand the clubhouses.

Since 2019, we have launched seven clubhouses across Kenya, Bangladesh, Greece, Brazil, Mauritania and the Netherlands. This year in 2025, we will open at least three more clubhouses, expanding our reach. This is central to KLABU's philosophy: building the world's biggest club for those who don't have one.

Across our current locations, we have 35,000 participants every year that take part in daily activities that improve mental and physical wellbeing (impact goal 1). Contributing to community self-reliance (impact goal 2), we employ 23 people who run the projects with passion and love - making it their clubhouses. Furthermore, the teams are a mix of refugee and host community members, stimulating integration and inclusion (impact goal 3).

Visit our clubhouse pages to read more about our impact per project.

To set up a new Clubhouse, we always work with a local partner and local community representatives. They are the project owners, KLABU is the facilitator and fundraiser. Together we identify the local needs, develop a budget and work plan and bring it into practice.

So even though the KLABU core team is based in Amsterdam, through teamwork with communities around the world, we empower them to run the projects: it's their KLABU!

To carry out our mission we have a unique dual structure.

The KLABU Foundation works closely with refugee and host communities around the world to build their own sports clubhouses that are hubs for play, wellbeing, education and entrepreneurship. Our projects and organisation are funded mainly through donations from funds, companies and individuals. In the long-term, we want to become self-sustaining, that's why we created a business model through the KLABU social enterprise.

The KLABU social enterprise creates awareness around the Foundation’s projects, and builds the club externally through the creation and sales of sportswear, and through brand collaborations. Half the profits from sportswear sales go to the KLABU Foundation, the other half are reinvested into the brand to sustain continued growth of business and impact. This already gives us a level of independence. Our long-term goal is to fund the entire operations of the Foundation through the social enterprise.

The core team consists of a diverse and dedicated team. We work with local refugee and host communities at every KLABU clubhouse worldwide. The Foundation has a supervisory board which makes sure we are making the biggest impact possible in the lives of refugees while also growing the club.

Read more about our organisation and business model here.

For any employment or volunteering opportunities at KLABU, please take a look at this page.

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