An unrelenting drought is pushing families from their homes in Somalia across the border into Kenya.
Arriving at the Dadaab refugee camp, they look weary, and the children are weak and sickly. Many have had difficulty finding food for months.
With 5 consecutive failed rainy seasons, most livestock have died, and the crops have failed. With their children’s health deteriorating, they had to leave to save their lives and those of their loved ones.
The number of those arriving in Dadaab from Somalia had steadily grown over the last 5 months. In July 2022, the UNHCR and the Department for Refugee Service (DRS) conducted a head count exercise for undocumented arrivals.
The number stood at around 46,000 individuals. By late October, the number had risen to over 55,000 people.
With an estimated 2,100 refugees arriving every week, the number of new arrivals is expected to be around 121,000 people by April next year.
We spent a day at Dadaab visiting a nutrition screening and stabilisation centre funded by EU humanitarian aid and run by the International Rescue Committee (IRC). The centre helps not only refugees but also the surrounding host community.
Idow Hassan, 32, arrived in Dadaab from Buala with her husband and 6 children. Idow and her youngest child, 18-month-old Billow, are receiving help at the IRC screening centre. Billow is unable to even feed on the plumpy-nut given at the screening centre.
©European Union, 2022 (photographer: Bertha Wangari)
Bishara Hassan, 30, tells us how they left their village en masse, with 5 other families. “Everyone left. We had not seen rain for 3 years, and there was no sign of rain coming. We were a group of about 25 people, and it took us 3 days to get here.”
©European Union, 2022 (photographer: Bertha Wangari)
Amina Ifiya, 23, arrived at Dadaab about a month ago from Jubaland. Her child, 7-month-old Mukhtar, was also sick with vomiting and diarrhoea. “My child has been admitted at the stabilisation centre for 2 days now, and he is already getting better!”
©European Union, 2022 (photographer: Bertha Wangari)
Mahadho Hassan, 21, is not a new arrival. She has been at the IRC hospital for 3 months now, since the birth of her son who was born with a congenital heart condition.
©European Union, 2022 (photographer: Bertha Wangari)
With EU humanitarian funding, the hospital provides primary, reproductive, and nutrition health services to over 82,000 refugees and 8,000 locals, including children and pregnant women. And often, like in Mahadho’s case, the hospital goes over and beyond.
©European Union, 2022 (photographer: Bertha Wangari)
Story and photos: ©European Union, 2022 (photographer: Bertha Wangari)
Publication date: 03/11/2022
