Dadaab, East Kenya, Sept 11  –  HALUAN delivered several boxes of medicine to an outpost in Damajaley, 55km east of Dadaab yesterday, a clinic which has since been delisted by the Unicef.

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The lone technician who has since remained in his post since the cessation two years ago was excited to meet us.

Dr Baharudin Suri, head mission team for HALUAN made a quick inspection of the facility and its records. The outpost of 13,000 people sees about 35 patients a day. Damajaley is one of the closest point to the Somalian border, at 38km, and is a natural stopover for Somalian refugees on foot. Those who enter Liboi, another town just 18km to the border are said to be transported into Dadaab by UN buses several times a day. We were not privy to this as the day was getting late and we need to get home to our base camp before dark, for security reasons.

Another dirt trail led us to a small village centre where IHH of Turkey mediated the supply of clean water for villages by means of water tenders. Such negotations are mostly conducted with the village heads or imams of the community.

As we reached an army checkpoint in Madahgihsi, the call to the maghrib prayer came from a direction in the bushes. We looked out and was surprised to see two minarets sticking out in the distant partially hidden by shanty homes and bushes. Despite poverty and uncertainty over their future, these Somalian refugees are proud to display masjids more beautiful than their rickety sheds they call home. Bless be the ummah of Somalia.

Donate generously for them to have a better life to HALUAN at BIMB account number 14-023-01-002571-8.

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Bro. Y writes from Dadaab, Eastern Kenya.