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Kenya: Oxfam's response in pictures

Oxfam Humanitarian Adviser Vincent Koch reports from Eldoret in western Kenya.

Tens of thousands of Kenyans have been living in temporary camps since fleeing violence. The Show Ground camp, just outside Eldoret, has a population of around 20,000 displaced people. It was only ever intended to accommodate 8,000 people, and the shortage of space means that each family has been allocated just four metres squared of ground on which to live.

Photo: Vincent Koch / Oxfam

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Simion is a nursery owner from Nakuru. When the violence began he was forced to leave his land and now believes he has lost everything. "I was very proud of my business, I grew bougainvillea and had taught my daughter the trade. I haven't seen my daughter since I arrived here".

Photo: Vincent Koch / Oxfam

Noi Camp is 90 minutes drive from Eldoret. Here the situation is worse. The camp has been hurriedly constructed and has not been adequately planned, leaving the inhabitants at risk from lack of sanitation and access to clean water. With little room between tents and each tent home to four or five people, the camp is very overcrowded. Meeting the needs of the camp population puts a huge strain on resources, and makes waste disposal a constant battle.

Photo: Vincent Koch / Oxfam

Improving sanitation in the camp is a key priority to help prevent outbreaks of disease. Here, camp volunteers help to dig more latrines. But the lack of space is a real worry - building latrines so close to the tents will make life particularly unpleasant for those people living near by, and will put their health at increased risk.

Photo: Vincent Koch / Oxfam

There is an urgent need for proper site planning to be undertaken prior to the rains. This is an exercise that Oxfam will support over the coming weeks as the camps are reorganised so that they are better suited for a medium term occupation by the IDPs.

Photo: Vincent Koch / Oxfam

A volunteer lines a latrine base with cement. Volunteers receive a token payment as an incentive to help with construction. Others have been trained to carry out public health promotion - teaching the importance of hygienic practices within the camp.

Photo: Vincent Koch / Oxfam

With no prospect of returning home, life for families living in the camp is particularly difficult. "We try to make life normal but it isn't possible," says one mother of three, "just simple things like cooking and keeping clean are very difficult."

Photo: Vincent Koch / Oxfam