Yusuf’s long journey to safety

After travelling for weeks across arduous terrain with little or no food and water 5 year old Yusuf and his family arrived hungry and tired in Kenya.

Give refugee children like Yusuf hope

I remember the hunger, the thirst, and the weakness as we made our way to the border … Four of the children of the families we were traveling with died. We helped them bury them and then carried on.

Yusuf’s father Abdullahi

Drought in their homeland of Somalia killed their animals and crops and forced them to flee for their lives. On top of the constant hunger and extreme weather conditions they were forced to endure they were also robbed of all their money and possessions along the way; arriving in Kenya with literally nothing except the clothes upon their backs.

Thanks to assistance from UNHCR they are now starting their new life as refugees in Kenya’s Dadaab refugee complex, but their troubles are far from over. Refugees like Yusuf and his family are in need of everything from shelter, to water to healthcare, and they need it now.

This Festive Season give the best possible gift to Somali refugees: save their lives

Somalia is currently suffering from one of the worst humanitarian crises in memory. As if 20 years of civil war weren’t enough, Somalis are also now facing the worst drought in 60 years.

In 2011 alone more that 163,000 Somalis have fled to Kenya and a further 98,200 are currently seeking refuge in Ethiopia.

Many do not survive the perilous journey to cross into neighbouring countries. Mothers have been forced to watch, powerless to do anything, as their children die in front of their eyes. Those that do make it to refugee camps are often arriving in terrible conditions.
UNHCR provide shelter, food, water, medical care and other basic necessities for refugee children and their families.

Around the world, millions of people rely on the UN Refugee Agency for their survival. Some refugees may need our help for only a short time. But many face years living in isolated refugee camps.

Nearly 3.3 million people are in need of life-saving assistance in Somalia - many of them are children.

Your donation will allow UNHCR to deliver humanitarian aid and assistance both inside Somalia and across East Africa to save the lives of and protect thousands of children like Yusuf.
Please help by giving what you can this festive season. Here are just a few examples of what your money could provide:

• US $10 provides 10 bars of soap to help stop the spread of diseases such as Cholera.
• US $50 provides therapeutic feeding kits – each one helps feed five children.
• US$100 provides survival kits – each has a blanket, mattress, kitchen set, stove and soap.
• US $450 provides an all-weather tent to shelter a refugee family.

Every dollar you give means a life saved. 

Thank you for your support.