As the number of cases of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to rise in Kenya, LWF staff are particularly concerned about the people living in the densely populated refugee camps of Kakuma and Dadaab. Most people have very limited access to medical aid, clean water or accurate information about prevention and precautions to help stop the spread of infections.
Despite a shortage of running water, families and small businesses are being encouraged to put in place simple, life-saving practices to stop the spread of the disease. LWF continues to provide clean water, soap, hand sanitizer and protective clothing. With these simple items, teams of volunteers can be better equipped to provide vital awareness-raising and training in handwashing, hygiene and sanitation procedures to thousands of vulnerable families.
Nearly 475,000 refugees
As a result of neighboring conflicts and regional drought, Kenya hosts close to 450,000 refugees and Djibouti hosts some 25,000.
In addition, climate conflict is creating significant challenges for development, with more frequent periods of severe drought, and increasingly heavy rains and flooding in between.
Local populations and refugees compete for natural resources such as water and firewood. Mounting insecurity for humanitarian workers makes it more difficult and costly to access communities in need.
What we’re doing in Kenya/Djibouti
In response to decades-long displacement, the LWF works with refugee and host communities to support their needs and to protect their human rights. In partnership with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, we work in:
Kakuma refugee camp and Kalobeyei refugee settlement, northwest Kenya, providing primary education, early childhood development, child protection, peace and safety and sustainable livelihoods programs. Just over 160,000 refugees live in Kakuma.
Ali Addeh, Markazi and Hol Hol refugee camps, Djibouti, providing education and protection. Most of Djibouti’s 25,000 refugees live in the three camps but also in urban areas.
Dadaab refugee camps, northeast Kenya, providing primary education, early childhood development, and support to people with disabilities and elderly people. Dadaab is the world’s largest cluster of refugee camps, with a population of over260,000, most of whom are children, women, elderly and people with disabilities who have fled conflict in Somalia.
In 2018, the country program supported 603,159 persons through protection, livelihoods, education, peace-building and development projects.
