By Emily Ray on
Angelina Jolie has spoken about visiting ‘one of the most dire’ refugee camps on the Kenyan–Samali border.
Jolie is a Goodwill Ambassador for United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), an organization that seeks to help refugees into a ‘normal environment’.
On a visit to the refugee settlement, Jolie was heartbroken about the residents’ plight, where 285,000 people live in a cramped space designed for just 90,000.
With children and adults alike showing signs of malnutrition, and families living amongst rubbish, Jolie’s visit took on an extra disbelief when she learnt that fifteen people are surviving on 100 liters of water every two days, when the recommendation is 20 liters per person per day. Cholera outbreaks are common place, and Jolie said the next occurrence might be impossible to contain.
UNHCR Kenya Representative Liz Ahua warned, “If we don’t get more land, it will be impossible to avert a major humanitarian crisis”. The UN High Commissioner called for a massive injection of funds from the donor community, and UNCHR will provide an extra $20 million for refugees and the community in Dadaab.
Jolie spoke poignantly: ‘I wish more people could meet them, then they would have a stronger desire to help.’
To find out more about the work of UNHCR, click here
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