Civil war in Somalia between the government and the al-Qaida-linked terror group, al-Shabab, is forcing many Somali refugees to escape via Ethiopia.
Reports say about 400 refugees arrive at the Ethiopia-Somali border every single day, most of them women and children.
One of these woman is Adar Adan, who had walked for seven days to get to the border. She arrived at the camp a few weeks earlier, but went back to Somalia to get four of her six children. Upon arrival at the refugee camp, Adan must be registered as a newcomer.
According to reports, newcomers receive care packages, and then they're moved to an increasingly cramped transition area. Until recently, the average stay here was about a week.
But with regular camps at capacity, the wait has been getting much longer, said Dr. Benjamin Levy, a Michigan native who has been here for about eight weeks with the group Doctors Without Borders.
There are many challenges ahead and for now, a main challenge for the U.N.'s World Food Program is to raise funds to sustain the camps here and in Northern Kenya. So far, assistance, including $650 million in cash and kind from the U.S. government, has stocked the warehouses with staples and critical supplements.
Quotes
"As for the long-term future, me and my children, we don't know anything about education. We don't read or write. We need to be educated." - Hassan Kulow (through translator).
Warm Up Questions
1. What part of the world is Somalia in?
2. What is a famine?
3. What factors can contribute to mass hunger?
Discussion Questions
1. What does the term "civil war" mean?
2. Why are Kenyan troops now involved in the war between Somalia and al-Shabab militants?
3. How does civil war make it more difficult for those trying to flee Somalia?
Additional Resources
U.N. Refugee Chief: 'Terrible' to Know Somalis Are Dying Out of Reach
Teen Flees Somalia, Plans to Return as Doctor
