IOM Kenya’s Assistance to Refugees from South Sudan EXTERNAL SITUATION REPORT
20 - 26 JUNE 2014
IOM staff distributes high energy biscuits to refugees as they the board the bus at Nadapal border point . © IOM 2014 (Photo: Joseph Kabiru)
HIGLIGHTS
Refugees making their way to Kenya accept manual labour jobs en route in order to afford transportation costs.
OVERVIEW Despite fluctuating statistics during this reporting period, Kenya is still receiving South Sudanese refugees on a daily basis. Most of the refugees are from Bor, Malakal, Lopea and Central Equatorial State. Tension is high, with pockets of violence reported in some parts of the country, although some sense of calmness is prevailing in South Sudan according to testimonies from arriving refugees. Since the onset of the crisis, 38,806 South Sudan refugees have entered the country (Source: UNHCR Sitrep 20 June). During this reporting period, IOM transported 379 refugees as compared to last week’s figure of 302 refugees.
TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE IOM continues to provide transportation assistance to South Sudanese refugees arriving at the Nadapal border point to Kakuma Refugee Camp. Ministry of health workers are vaccinating children against measles and polio. Generally most of the arriving refugees which consist primarily of women and children are in a good state of health. Heavy rains in South Sudanese towns of Juba, Jonglei, Kapoeta and Torit coupled with lack of funds continue to hinder the onward movement of refuges towards the border. Some of the refugees are taking up temporary jobs to finance their journey to Kenya. Some of the jobs include cleaning toilets, hospitals and logging timber for construction.
Meet 17 year old James Jafar from South Sudan’s Bor region. His mother died during childbirth. He was brought up by his father who took him to school and provided for him. “I grew up just like any other normal boy playing and going to school with my friends. My father was always there for me and taught me how to be a responsible man. Life was good. But in February, my world turned upside down when marauding gangs pillaged our village I hid in the store as my father pleaded with them to spare our lives, unfortunately, they mercilessly hacked him to death and set ablaze our home. In the melee, I managed to flee under the cover of darkness. I fled to Juba where for the for the past four months I did odd jobs until I could raise enough money to hire transport and come to Kenya. I’m sure I will be safe here in Kakuma and I hope I will resume with my studies.”
** Name has been changed to protect her identity.
Contact: Regional Emergency and Post-Crisis Unit I DANILA Bogdan Silviu I bdanila@iom.int