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Most east African refugees are hosted close to borders – it’s a deliberate war strategy

Most east African refugees are hosted close to borders – it’s a deliberate war strategy

THERE are close to 4 million people living in refugee camps across Africa. Of the more than 300 camps, nearly 70% are situated within 30km-50km of an international border. They include some of the largest camps in the continent, such as Kakuma in northern Kenya, Nyarugusu in western Tanzania and Bidibidi in north-western Uganda. Author KARA ROSS CAMARENA, Assistant Professor, Loyola University Chicago The closer the camp is to an international border, the easier it is for people on both sides of the border to interact. What this means is that healthy refugees in Kakuma, for example, can walk across…
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Kenya drought: Pastoralists suffer despite millions of dollars used to protect them – what went wrong?

Kenya drought: Pastoralists suffer despite millions of dollars used to protect them – what went wrong?

ACROSS the arid landscape of northern Kenya, roadside signs proclaim projects aimed at creating “resilience” among pastoralist communities. This is a region where frequent droughts, animal disease, insecurity and structural exclusion all affect pastoral livelihoods. Authors TAHIRA SHARIFF MOHAMED, PhD candidate, Institute of Development Studies IAN SCOONES, Professorial Fellow, Institute of Development Studies Resilience – the capacity to transform or to recover quickly from challenges – is the idea behind the many externally funded projects and hundreds of millions of dollars spent over the past few decades. Resilience projects across the drylands often encourage pastoralists – usually working together in…
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How women-only village inspires land equality

How women-only village inspires land equality

DOMINIC KIRUI WHEN Jane Nolmongen's husband banished her from their family home in northern Kenya after discovering she had been raped by a British soldier, she went somewhere she knew she would be safe: a village entirely run by women, where men are not allowed. For the past 30 years, Nolmongen has lived in Umoja village in Samburu County, supporting her eight children and working land she could soon own, in defiance of a culture in which women are considered the property of their fathers and husbands. "The village has been a source of support for me, because we have…
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