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Dadaab, Kenya: Refugees from the drought


July 15, 2011
By Sophia Jones-Mwangi

Fatuma, 25, arrived in Dadaab refugee camp four days ago by car with her mother and her five children.

Photo: Sophia Jones-Mwangi/IRC

Fleeing the Drought

  • Fatuma and her family stand outside a building at Dadaab refugee camp
  • Refugees sit on the ground under trees outside one of Dadaab's reception centers
  • An elderly woman, Habiba, at the Dadaabd refugee camp reception center
  • Beniye Issa holds her baby daughter
  • A severly malnourished baby is held in a woman's arms
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 At least 1,200 refugees are arriving at Dadaab refugee camp in northern Kenya every day from drought-stricken Somalia. They are exhausted and hungry.  Most have lost everything they owned and many have sold whatever they had left to pay for the bus or car fare.  The IRC's Sophia Jones-Mwangi tells their stories.

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All Horn of Africa Drought, Africa, Kenya Slideshows >

The International Rescue Committee is scaling up relief efforts to aid people hit hard by the drought -- the worst in 60 years -- that is devastating much of Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya.

Each day, more than 1,200 people are arriving in the Dadaab refugee camp in northeastern Kenya from Somalia.  Exhausted and hungry, many are settling outside the camp in flimsy shelters.   The IRC is augmenting teams that provide new arrivals at Dadaab and other refugee camps with medical screening and assistance and give fortified food to malnourished young children.

Yesterday, I spent the day speaking with some of the families who arrived this week.  Fatuma, 25, (above) came by car with her mother and her five children. The young widow gave birth to her baby girl, Shire, on her way here. The family arrived without luggage -- it was stolen from the parked car late one night as they slept. 

You can read more stories about families in Dadaab and see photos here.
 


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2 comments

Comments

Do donations get to this area

Submitted by gilleranm on July 19, 2011 - 7:13am.

Do donations get to this area right away or are they held up with red tape? I want to donate but I would like it to get there immediately.

Thank you very much for your

Submitted by Kate Sands Adams on July 20, 2011 - 2:01pm.

Thank you very much for your question and for your interest in supporting the International Rescue Committee's drought response in East Africa.
 
The IRC is consistently awarded high marks by charity watchdog groups and respected publications for the efficient use of our financial support and the effectiveness of our work.  We have long had relief and development programs in the drought-affected region and are therefore well positioned to address what will become an enormous set of challenges.

Furthermore, we can ensure your gifts directly benefit the people. The donations are sent directly to our organization and we use the funds to purchase our relief materials within the country when possible to avoid excess customs and transport fees. Additionally, this provides income for indigenous economies and enables the IRC to use funds more efficiently.

Please don't hesitate to contact us should you need more information.

Sincerely,

Kate Sands Adams (IRC web editor) 

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