Emergency Food Assistance for Somalian Refugees in Kenya - World Food Programme 2009

Ongoing violence in Somalia has had an effect across the border in Kenya. Dadaab in northeastern Kenya has been home to Somali refugees for almost two decades since the collapse of the Siad Barre government in 1991. Over the course of 2008 an average of 5 000 new Somali refugees crossed the border each month increasing the refugee population in the area from an estimated 170 000 to over 230 000. Three refugee camps around Dadaab built to house 90 000 people are now over their original capacity. Under Kenyan law refugees are not able to farm or otherwise earn a living outside of these camps rendering them dependent on assistance for survival. CIDA's contribution is supporting the World Food Programme to help meet the ongoing food needs of an estimated 337 000 refugees living in Kenya. In the Dadaab camps this assistance focuses on providing much needed food rations for families that have no other means of meeting their basic nutritional needs.