The Unaccompanied Children Refugees: a Case of Dadaab Refugee Camp in Garissa County, Kenya, 1991-2017

Abstract

The study examined the unaccompanied refugee children in Daadab Refugee Camp in Garissa County, Kenya, from 1991-2017. Since 1991, the number of unaccompanied children has increased considerably in refugee and IDP camps in Kenya. Equally, their challenges have greatly escalated, for instance, lack of family care, psychological and physical trauma, inadequate basic needs, sexual violence, and torture among others. Yet, the plight of unaccompanied refugee children is yet to be fully documented, therefore, creating a lacuna for academic inquiry. Indeed, this study argues that, though scholars have written extensively on refugee camps in Kenya generally, little has been said on the challenges and coping strategies of the minors in Daadab Refugee Camp. Therefore, using the Coping Competence Theory by Erica and the Resilience Across Cultures Theory as represented by Michael Ungar in the work, Positive Development or Positive Youth Development, the study examined this aspect of refugee-hood in Daadab. This was accomplished by first looking at the refugee problem in Africa and the Great Lakes to situate the reasons for establishment of Daadab Refugee Camp. It then argues that the establishment of Daadab refugee camp (Ifo 1 in 1991) was a response to the influx of refugees from these regions with profound consequences -- social, economic, and political -- for both the host country and the refugees themselves. Equally, the early 1990s being a period that marked the end of the Cold War, embargoes on the Kenya government on corruption allegations put increased pressure on operations in these camps with adverse effect on refugees in general and the unaccompanied minors in particular. The study found that the unaccompanied minors’ stay established in the camp left them traumatized because of various challenges ranging from economic hardships, disease, insecurity, threats of forcible repatriation and lack of social networks and support. Conversely, the study found that unaccompanied children developed mechanisms that helped them cope with some of the challenges in the refugee camp; prayers, going to school, menial labour, sports, learning new languages are some of such mechanisms.