Children separated in Kenya conflict reunited with families

Following disputed presidential elections in December 2007, Kenya was thrown into a major post-election violence crisis that led to more than 1,500 deaths and the displacement of 300,000 during early 2008. Tensions ran high among groups loyal to each candidate, and quickly exploded into ethnic violence. Many children were forced to flee their homes and were separated from their families amidst the chaos.

SOS Children, who have three Villages in Kenya, immediately gave emergency refuge to 60 displaced children at the SOS Children's Village in Nairobi. Such immediate action was required because displaced children urgently need protection because they are at greater risk of exploitation, including forced recruitment, abduction, and trafficking.

The displaced children lived in family houses in the Village and were cared for by our SOS mothers. They ranged in age from 3-year-old John to 17-year-old Martin from the Kibera slum in Nairobi.

Children reunited

To date, SOS Children has reunited 56 of those displaced children with their families. The remaining four are still at the Village and will be looked after until their families can be found.

Following the crisis, SOS Children also set up an emergency relief programme for around 2,000 families in Nairobi, Eldoret and Mombasa offering families relief supplies: food, tarpaulins to make tents, blankets, clothes, crockery and personal hygiene products. Families with seriously traumatised children were offered psychological support at the refugee camps.

Despite such good news, Kenya is far from being a country of peace and stability. According to the BBC, a police report released this month has identified ethnic prejudice, similar to that evident during the post-election violence, as still being a major threat to national security.

SOS Children: Emergency response

As part of the local community, SOS Children understands the long-term need that people face in the aftermath of a major disaster. We co-operate with other organisations and governments to help the children find their relatives. If this cannot be done, many children will be cared for by SOS Children in our Villages, whilst we continue to search for their families. If the capacity is insufficient, a decision will be taken on whether to expand the existing Village or develop new SOS facilities. Clear decisions are made about whether or not an SOS emergency relief programme needs to last longer than one year, but in any case, the children will be cared for until a family is found for them.

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