Living, Learning AND Teaching IN A Refugee Camp Biographies of Perseverance

Abstract

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports more than 65 million people are displaced worldwide including more than 17 million as refugees forced to leave their own countries due to conflict, war, famine or persecution (UNHCR, 2016). The current global situation is escalating to new levels characterized by a huge migration from the Middle East to Europe, among other regions. At the end of November 2017 the UNHCR reported close to 250,000 registered refugees are in the Dadaab camps complex (UNHCR, 2017). Although this number was substantially higher some years ago with continued political unrest compounded by severe famine, the population of Dadaab camp is spread over four camps: Dagahaley, Hagadera, Ifo 1, and Ifo 2 (UNHCR, 2017). Close to 96 percent of the refugees are Somalis from Somalia while Ethiopians comprise the second largest group, with small numbers of Sudanese, Eritreans, Congolese, Burundians, Tanzanians, Ugandans, and Rwandans also present. The camps have existed since 1991 and a significant population has spent their entire lives there. The camps have well- established schools, hospitals, portable water and reasonable community service amenities. The cultural and historical location of Dadaab Camp and its circumstances are complex. Initially, the location was chosen because the refugee camp was expected to be temporary