Celebrating World Refugee Day in Djibouti

“I will continue to help unaccompanied children as long as I am alive.”

Together with Alli Addeh and O’bock, Holl Holl is one of three camps hosting more than 26,000 refugees in Djibouti. Photo: WFP/Clara Noel

Located in the middle of the mountains, Holl Holl is one of three camps that host more than 26,000 refugees in Djibouti — a country where 42 percent of the population lives in extreme poverty.

The camp was chosen by the Government of Djibouti and humanitarian organizations to celebrate the strength, courage and perseverance of refugees on 20 June 2017, World Refugee Day.

On that day, 1,400 families, fully dependent on humanitarian assistance, received the monthly food assistance: cereals, pulses, vegetal oil, sugar, salt and cash (1,650 kcal/person/day) provided by the World Food Programme (WFP).

Somali refugees keep memories of home alive with traditional dancing. Photo: WFP/Lina Adel

To mark the occasion of World Refugee Day, UNHCR and its partners organized a ceremony with different activities such as traditional Somali dances, sketches, awards and speeches by camp representatives, authorities and humanitarian organizations.

WFP’s cash assistance allows refugees like Rahma to buy food of their choice and diversify their diets. Photo: WFP/Clara Noel

“I am satisfied with WFP’s food and cash assistance which allows my family to have a diversified diet, even though living conditions remain difficult in Holl Holl,” said Somali refugee Rahma Hussein Aden.

54-years-old Awo looks after unaccompanied children at the camp. Photo: WFP/Clara Noel

Women play a central role in this refugee camp. Awo Mohamed Abdou, a 54 year old woman leader, has been taking care of the unaccompanied children in the camp since 2014. Awo got separated from her own children because of the war in Somalia. Now she facilitates the registration of unaccompanied children so that they can access food, health care and education. She is currently looking after eight children ranging from 4 to 16 years old, providing them also with accommodation in her tent. “I will continue to help them as long as I am alive”, explained Awo.

During the ceremony, Awo received an award from the refugee committee for the maternal role she plays with these children.

For families at Holl Holl camp, WFP assistance is all they can rely on for survival. Photo: WFP/Lina Adel

WFP provides food assistance and nutrition services to refugees and asylum seekers living in all refugee camps in Djibouti.

Story by Clara Noel and Lina Adel.

Learn more about WFP’s work in Djibouti