Somali Refugees in Kenya - WFP Response 2011-2014

(9 August 2011) Kenya now hosts more than 500 000 refugees from Somalia in camps in Dadaab and Kakuma. Successive waves of Somali refugees have arrived in Kenya since the fall of the Siad Barre regime in 1991 fleeing the ongoing violence and most recently the effects of drought and famine in southern Somalia. As Kenyan law precludes refugees from living farming or working outside of the refugee camps this growing population remains totally reliant on international humanitarian assistance. With Canadian support the World Food Programme (WFP) is helping to meet the ongoing food assistance needs of the Somali refugee population living at Daddab and Kakuma. In addition to blanket food distribution WFP operates several other programmes (such as food for work and school feeding) to help protect livelihoods and promote education (particularly for otherwise neglected girls) amongst the refugee population.