In the Kenyan refugee camp, Cutbacks in US aid result in absence of menstrual pads, thus limiting school attendance.
The closure of schools and disruption of services in Kenya's Kakuma refugee camp, one of the world's largest, have intensified due to cuts in U.S. aid. This move, endorsed by President Donald Trump, has left many girls without sanitary pads and cash transfers, causing hardships that affect their education and overall well-being.
Girls like 15-year old Achol, a refugee from South Sudan, miss school during their periods due to the scarcity of sanitary pads. Prior to the funding cuts, her school had always provided her with necessary supplies, ensuring her regular attendance. However, with the abrupt reduction in resources, the school can only distribute pads during emergencies.
The U.S. aid cuts have also resulted in the termination of crucial cash transfers that previously supported families in the camp. These transfers played a significant role in enabling girls to obtain essential items when they were not available at school.
The repercussions of these cuts extend beyond education, impacting school attendance and operations. Reduced aid has led to layoffs of teachers, adding to the educational challenges. This scarcity of resources, including food and stable aid, makes it difficult for girls to attend school consistently, affecting their overall education and well-being.
Elizabeth Mukami, a headteacher at Future Primary and Junior School, laments the loss of learning materials and food for her more than 7,000 pupils, who hail from various countries such as South Sudan, Somalia, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. She mentioned the urgency of securing support from donors to employ teachers, but the U.S. cuts have limited their ability to purchase sanitary pads.
The trimming of teacher numbers across the camp is evident. From 1,289 teachers in January to 1,083 in May, schools in Kakuma are struggling to maintain educational standards. The consequences of this teacher shortage are far-reaching, affecting the attendance and performance of students as they prepare for national examinations.
Moreover, food rationing in the camp has forced approximately 400 students to drop out of school this month alone, according to Mukami. The shortages have also compelled organizations like the World Food Programme to reduce the levels of food aid given to refugees across Kenya to their lowest recorded amounts.
The future for the over 220,000 refugees in Kakuma appears uncertain as the looming suspension of all cash assistance for refugees in Kenya threatens to deepen the crisis further. Under these circumstances, education in Kakuma, one of the world's largest refugee camps, continues to suffer significantly.
- The international community is concerned about the impact of U.S. aid cuts on the education and well-being of girls in Kenya's Kakuma refugee camp.
- Many refugees, including 15-year old Achol, struggle to attend school during their periods due to the shortage of sanitary pads.
- Prior to the funding cuts, schools in Kakuma provided necessary supplies to ensure regular attendance, but now they can only distribute pads during emergencies.
- The termination of cash transfers has left families without resources to obtain essential items when they are not available at school.
- The reduction in aid has led to layoffs of teachers, adding to the educational challenges in Kakuma.
- Elizabeth Mukami, a headteacher in Kakuma, laments the loss of learning materials and food for her students, affecting their education and well-being.
- The shortage of teachers across the camp has made it difficult for schools to maintain educational standards, impacting student performance.
- Food rationing in the camp has forced hundreds of students to drop out of school this month alone.
- The World Food Programme has reduced food aid levels for refugees across Kenya to their lowest recorded amounts due to the shortages.
- The future for over 220,000 refugees in Kakuma is uncertain as the suspension of all cash assistance for refugees in Kenya threatens to deepen the crisis further.
- Politics and policy-and-legislation decisions can have far-reaching effects, as seen in the closure of schools and disruption of services in Kakuma.
- General news and crime-and-justice reports have highlighted the hardships faced by refugees in Kakuma due to decreased funding.
- Accidents, fires, and weather events are among the many challenges refugees in Kakuma must face, making consistent school attendance even more difficult.
- Sports, such as basketball, baseball, hockey, golf, and tennis, offer a release from the daily struggles of life in Kakuma, but resources are limited.
- Sports-betting and auto-racing are popular pastimes in some parts of the world, but are not concerns in Kakuma due to the scarcity of resources.
- Weather forecasting is essential for daily life in Kakuma, as it affects school schedules and food production.
- Mixed-martial-arts, war-and-conflicts, and international politics are not topics of discussion in Kakuma, as the refugees there are focused on basic survival.
- Education, health, and overall well-being are the primary concerns for the refugees in Kakuma, as they strive to build a better future for themselves and their communities.
