Pick of the week – life in Dadaab
The UN declared that famine has spread into a sixth region of Somalia, whilst, yesterday, it was reported that refugee camps in Dadaab, Kenya, contain as many as 440,000 individuals, despite being designed for 90,000. However, faced with such news, it is still near-impossible to comprehend the scale and reality of the Horn of Africa crisis.
This pick of the week highlights the pieces from the last seven days that have gone some way in bringing the faces back to the figures and demonstrating the experiences of those whose lives have been transformed by the food emergency.
1. ‘Circle of life in world’s largest refugee camp’
Jonathan Ernst, a Reuters photographer, hoped that when he visited Dadaab that he could “show another angle of a big story”. In this he has been successful. His fantastic images from the camp reflect hope rather than despair, as he focuses on the maternity ward and shows that even in the midst of crisis there are many healthy children for whom life is just beginning.
2. ‘The Esri Map Stories Team’
This interactive site allows you to make your way through a map of the Horn of Africa and trace the stories along the way. Amongst others, it gives an insight into life at Dadaab, Dolo Ado, Mogadishu and Djibouti. To visit this Geo Story, click here.
3. ‘Witness to Famine: A Cameraman’s Journal‘
Abdul Wahid Khan, a South African cameraman from Al Jazeera Arabic, spent the duration of Ramadan (the month of August) covering the current famine. To read his journal, click here.
Guardian Development has launched an interactive map of the three camps in Dadaab: Dagahaley, Ifo and Hagadera. To zoom in on Dadaab and explore the camps, click here.
5. ‘Two weeks of love and hope in Dadaab’
Nicole Johnston, writing for Oxfam’s East Africa Blog, writes about her expectations for Dadaab and her surprise at the incredible energy and resilience amongst the refugees living there. To read this, click here.