Find your community

Where Kenyans in Berlin get advice, meet people, follow news, find work and practise German.

Berlin's population register counts 2,381 Kenyan nationals (30 June 2026, Amt für Statistik Berlin-Brandenburg, Table 10; 1,438 of them women). Kenya is not listed separately in the table on people with a migration background by district, so there is no district figure. You do not have to work everything out alone. This page lists free, public or non-profit places. Links checked on 5 November 2026; check opening hours before you go.

Free advice in English

• Willkommenszentrum Berlin (Potsdamer Straße 61, Mitte): the Senate's counselling for new arrivals. English advice without appointment: residence and social questions Mon, Wed, Thu 8:30-13:00 (Thu also 13:30-17:00); work and education Tue 8:30-13:00 and 13:30-17:00. Take a waiting number from 8:30; same-day advice is not guaranteed. Appointments: [email protected]. Its directory of counselling centres can be filtered by language, including Kiswahili.
• BEMA, Berlin Advice Centre for Migration and Good Work (Lorenzweg 5, 12099 Berlin; tel. 030 5130 192 69, [email protected]): advice on labour law for immigrants and mobile workers, such as contracts, pay and dismissal. Book an appointment by phone or email. The site does not say in which languages the advisers speak; ask when you book.
• Integrationslots:innen: over 200 guides in all districts, in more than 40 languages. Contact the organisations running the programme directly (see the page).
• Embassy of Kenya, Berlin (Rheinbabenallee 49, 14199 Berlin; tel. +49 30 2592 6611; Mon-Thu 9:00-16:00, Fri 9:00-13:00): passports, ID and eTA via [email protected]. Consular matters only, not German law; see Visa and Embassy.
• Racism and discrimination: the Senate's guide to discrimination counselling lists centres that are free, confidential and anonymous on request. EACH ONE (Each One Teach One e.V., Togostraße 76, 13351 Berlin, Wedding) advises Black, African and Afrodiasporic people in all cases of discrimination, on site and online: Thursdays 16-18 h, phone or WhatsApp +49 157 52471741, [email protected]. Costs and languages are not stated on the site; ask when you call.

Meeting people: community, culture, faith

• Each One Teach One (EOTO) e.V. (Togostraße 76, Wedding): community library on Afro-diasporic literature and history, open Tuesdays and Thursdays 14-18 h, plus workshops, readings and a monthly Black Youth Friday. The website is mainly in German; events are sometimes in English.
• International Church Berlin: English-language church at Potsdamer Platz (entrance on Voxstraße, inside CinemaxX), services Sundays at 11:00, 13:00 and 15:00, kids programme.
• American Church in Berlin: English-speaking congregation (Lutherkirche, Dennewitzplatz 1, Schöneberg; office Leberstraße 7). It describes itself as welcoming to everyone and runs outreach to neighbours (Laib und Seele). Service times are on its Services page.
• More English services: the Protestant church's list of foreign-language congregations names Berlin Cathedral (Sundays 10:00, translated into English) and St George's Anglican Church (Preussenallee 17-19). It lists no Swahili-language congregation; I found none I could verify. Many Catholic and Protestant parishes welcome newcomers regardless of origin.
• Online: search Meetup or Facebook for "Kenyans in Berlin" or "Africans in Berlin". Treat advice in groups as tips, not facts.

Festivals and events

• Karneval der Kulturen (Kreuzberg, free street parade and festival): expected 14-17 May 2027; official dates not yet published.
• AFROLUTION: EOTO's literature festival takes place every June (EOTO); 2027 date not yet published.
• Berlin Marathon: 26 September 2027, with a weekend of side events (mile, 5 km, kids' runs).

Sport and leisure

• Hasenheide parkrun: free weekly 5 km run in Volkspark Hasenheide, Saturdays 9:00, registration needed (parkrun Hasenheide). Not verified: the page could not be opened; confirm on parkrun.
• Search Meetup or your district's sports clubs (Vereine) for running and football groups; ask the club about fees.

Students and professionals

Students: the international office of your university, and the student councils (AStA), advise for free; see Study. Nurses and care workers: Nursing and health; your Betriebsrat (works council), if there is one, advises for free, and BEMA (above) covers labour law. Degree recognition: Recognition.

News and media

• Mkenya Ujerumani e.V.: registered in Kenya and Germany; an information platform for Kenyans on living, studying and working in Germany (residence permits, driving licence, au pair, FSJ). It does not say where in Germany it is based. Written by community members: check rules against official sources.

Job search

• Bundesagentur für Arbeit: Jobsuche: the official job and training portal.
• Make it in Germany: federal portal for skilled workers. Not verified: page blocked automated access.
• Our pages: Skilled worker, Opportunity Card, Ausbildung, Migration agreement.

German, tandems, volunteering

• Volkshochschulen (VHS): every district runs German courses; see the page for discounts and free courses. Registration differs by district.
• Landesfreiwilligenagentur Berlin: runs the Berliner Freiwilligenbörse, a fair with over 100 stands presenting volunteering. A good way to meet Germans and practise German.

Children: heritage language

Berlin's state first-language lessons (Erstsprachenunterricht) list Arabic, Kurdish, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, Turkish, Vietnamese, Spanish and Romanian. Neither Kiswahili nor English is offered; English is taught at school as a foreign language from grade 3. Families usually keep Kiswahili alive at home, in church or community groups.

Doctors who speak your language

The KV Berlin doctor search (Arztsuche) can show languages spoken in the practice; urgent appointments via 116117. Ask at the practice whether English is spoken before you go. Health insurance basics: Social security and health insurance.