Community Peace and Security team members Fatuma Isaac Ar (middle) and Adow Ibrahim Ali (right) talk with an unidentified woman about ordinary difficulties in the Dagahaley camp, part of the huge Dadaab refugee complex in northeastern Kenya. Safety is an impor- tant issue in the Lutheran-run camp, which is brimming with people fleeing drought in Somalia.
almost three years and is in the process of seeking asylum in the U.S.
Safe Haven is not the only program aimed at improv- ing the situation of women in Dadaab. A safe place to live is only a partial remedy to prevent violence and abuse. Women must also find a way out of the cycle of violence—a durable solution. Other efforts include a campaign to stop early mar-
riage, which has met with some success, Biriye said. At many locations within the camps, social workers also help identify people who have been subjected to violence or abuse. Security in the camps is still an issue, especially for women. Kenyan police handle criminal offenses, but the LWF also trains refugees to lead a community peace and security effort with camp safety patrols and help for some domestic problems. Women can also get counsel- ing, attend literacy classes or participate in an income- generating program. Bags and bracelets produced by the women in the income-generating programs have become something of a fashion statement among workers in Dadaab. In a shop operated by the UNHCR, Safe Haven bags sell out almost as soon as they come into stock. Other nongovernmental
PAUL JEFFREY/ACT ALLIANCE
organizations place bulk orders with the women for com- puter cases and other items. Every bit helps. Living in a place like Dadaab, prob- lems can often seem overwhelming. This is especially true for women, who find that Safe Haven and other pro- grams at the Lutheran-run camps can open doors to a life free from violence.
Walking 620 miles,
without adequate food Newcomers to the refugee camp in Dadaab, Kenya, arrive on foot “tired and exhausted, having trav- eled very far, sometimes [more than 620 miles],” said Lennart Hernander, Lutheran World Federation Depart- ment for World Service representa- tive in Kenya/Djibouti. Because many do not make it all the way to Dadaab, the LWF is hop- ing “to find ways to support the refu- gees along the way,” he added.
To help
Pray and give by visiting www.elca. org/giving, call- ing 800-638-3522, or sending checks (write “Horn of Africa Drought” on the memo line) to ELCA Disaster Response, 39330 Treasury Cen- ter, Chicago, IL 60694-9300.
November 2011 37
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