NAIROBI — Many know the world famous Nobel Prize laureate and peace activist, Malala Yousafzai, who gained global attention for her efforts towards improving the lives of girls and children in Pakistan and around the world. Continuing on this path, Malala visited Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya on her 19th birthday, July 12. This is the next stop on her noble quest to alleviate childhood poverty and promote education.
Dadaab is the largest refugee camp in Kenya. According to The Associated Press (AP), Malala urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to keep Dadaab open and improve education in Kenya. She explained that every year and on her birthday, she visits a country requiring help with education. This year, Malala chose to visit the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya order to advocate for girls’ education.
Malala started advocating for girls’ rights after she was shot by militants on her way home from school in Pakistan. She decided to visit the camp to raise awareness and prevent it from closing. She believes that the lack of education could result in a “generation lost.” This is exactly why she takes the issue of education in Kenya to heart.
The government announced its plans to close the camp near the Somali border by the end of the year for security reasons. According to Malala, if the government closes the refugee camp in the eastern Kenya, 300,000 immigrants will be forced to move back to Somalia and therefore become deprived of a proper education. This is especially true for girls because of the limited number of seats in Somali schools.
At least, the girls living in the Dadaab refugee camp have access to some education. The AP article stated that Malala encouraged refugees to go to Somalia voluntarily although it is still severely impacted by violence and terrorist attacks.
The Dadaab camp, founded over 25 years ago, is the only home many refugees have ever known. Forcing them to evacuate and migrate somewhere would be devastating. Furthermore, houses were constructed on the camps and turned into long-term residences. They were spontaneously created by people as shelters, but over time they turned onto homes.
Based on the testimony Rahma Hussein, a refugee living in the camp, when her family moved to Somalia she did not feel safe. There was a total absence of safety during the war; even when children were able to attend classes, the fear of bombing and explosion lingered.
Even Kenya has been targeted by Somali extremist group, al-Shahab, which has murdered hundreds of people. The group of terrorists organizes public stoning to punish those who do not agree in their ideology. They also use terrorist attacks to implement fear among the population.
Through her speech, Malala attempted to convince the President to reconsider his decision of closing the camp and stressed the importance of girls’ education. Furthermore, she explained the reason she wanted to draw attention to the refugee crisis by giving an example of her own personal experience. She explained that during the last year she has kept in touch through Skype with Dadaab girls who experience academic hardships.
The sense of security is crucial for all refugees living in camps. The government supported by international aid can help refugee rights, especially children’s rights to education. This is especially important in a country such as Kenya, which provides education and a sense of relief to a mass of people fleeing war zones.
– Eliza Karabetian-Nikotian
Photo: Flickr