Kakuma
Kakuma is a town in Turkana County, in the north-western region of Kenya.
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The town hosts the Kakuma Refugee Camp since 1991. The camp that comprises four parts (Kakuma I - IV) is managed by the Kenyan government and the Kenyan Department of Refugee Affairs, in conjunction with the UNHCR. This camp currently serves over 179,000 people who have fled wars and violence in neighboring countries.[1][2] The majority of refugees are from South Sudan, Sudan and Somalia. The camp is also host to refugees from Ethiopia, D.R. Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Eritrea and Uganda. Many people in Kakuma Camp are long-term refugees, living in hopelesness and desperation. The situation is particularly bad for young people.[3]
Dust storms frequently pass through the Kakuma area. Malnutrition, communicable disease outbreaks, and malaria are all ongoing problems, while donor support has faltered due to conflicts in other parts of the world.[4] Many of the refugees hope to leave Kakuma for resettlement in another country such as the USA and Canada. For example, the "Lost Boys of Sudan" were a special group who were resettled from the camp to the U.S. in recent years.
Famous residents
- Awer Mabil - Professional footballer
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kakuma. |
- ↑ "IAFR in Kenya". International Association for Refugees. 2014.
- ↑ Joselow, Gabe (3 November 2014). "South Sudan Violence Spreads to Kenyan Refugee Camp". Retrieved 4 November 2014.
- ↑ Raphael Sungu. "Frozen lives". D+C Development and Cooperation. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
- ↑ "Food Supplies Dwindle At Kenya Refugee Camp; IRC Raises Concern in Washington". International Rescue Committee. 4 June 2002.
External links
- Background of the town
- Suncookers
- A book about Sudanese refugees who went from Kakuma to the U.S.
- Solar Cooking Breakthrough in Kenyan Refugee Camp
- David Morse article (2006) on general situation in Kakuma and successful HIV/AIDS prevention
Coordinates: 3°43′N 34°52′E / 3.717°N 34.867°E