The Journey of Somali Refugees with Disabilities in Kenya

ISBN-13: 9783639129397 / Angielski / Miękka / 2009 / 220 str.

Siyat Abdi

Opis

The conditions in which refugees live in many partsof the world is of concern to the internationalcommunity. In the Dadaab Camps in Kenya live hundredsof thousands of refugees whose lives have beenshattered by unrest and violence, particularly inneighbouring Somalia. Amongst these refugees are manypeople with disabilities, often caused and/orexacerbated by violence, malnutrition, anddiscrimination. Refugees with disabilities arelargely invisible to the international communitybecause this groups needs are overshadowed by thedeplorable conditions which most people who live inthese camps experience. This work attempts to makerefugees with disability visible and give them avoice. In a series of interviews, focus groupdiscussions, and case studies, their challenges,experiences, and aspirations are explored. The firstauthor, himself an Ethnic Somali and vision impairedsince birth, brings a unique perspective to the livedexperience of those with a range of disabilities inthe Dadaab Camps. This book clearly identifies manyof these experiences and provides an importantroadmap for change for those in the Camps and theinternational community.

O autorze

Siyat Hillow Abdi is from Kenya. He is a teacher and advocate for
refugees and people with disabilities, and has completed a PhD in
Disability Studies at Flinders University. Brian Matthews is a
Senior Lecturer in the Department of Disability Studies at
Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia.