Kakuma snapshot
My first meeting in Nairobi was with two young Sudanese men who had both been in Kakuma as refugees. It is a real pity we are unable to visit Kakuma at this time, however, I have more information regarding the situation there than I’d bargained for.
The most important outcome of this meeting is the realisation that we may not be able to run Home Lands, in its present form, in Kakuma at all. The situation there is much more dire than what we had been told.
It appears that pressure is being brought to bare on people to return to their Home Lands. Services to the people in the camp are being reduced. The Tarkuna (traditional land owners of the site where Kakuma is built upon) raid and loot the camp regularly. Food rations, beans and yellow maize is provided in meager amounts, barely enough for one meal a day, is dished out once every 15 days. Hygiene is very poor. There is no sewerage treatment. Life for those who make it to Nairobi is an ongoing struggle…
Will it be possible to take a camera in and train camp residents to document their lives there?
Why is it that such information isn’t readily available? I’ve read many reports from various NGOs and I’ve seen nothing that even vaguely points to the conditions I had described to me… what I’ve written here is only a snapshot drawn from my notes. There’s much more to come…
Hi,
I am a journalist in the process of visiting Kakuma in a few months. Do you have any updated information on travel restrictions and setbacks?
Basically, you will need to contact the UNHCR in Nairobi. You will also need to gain clearances from the Kenyan Government. The UNHCR should be able to provide you with the information required. Hopefully updated… what they’d sent me at the time was out of date. Although much can be done before-hand, you may find the trip come together much quickly when you arrive in Nairobi. Plan to have at least a few days in Nairobi to ensure everything is in place.
-ag.