International Rescue Committee UK

By Beza Tesfaye

Nothing quite prepared me for my first encounter with a severely malnourished child. On a recent visit to the Dadaab refugee camp in eastern Kenya, an International Rescue Committee (IRC) doctor showed me into the Hagadera hospital, where the IRC treats malnourished children.

We entered the dimly-lit wooden building to find a middle-aged man lying on a cot with a small bundle in his arms. As the man sat up to greet us, I could make out the big round eyes of a tiny child in his arms. "How old is she?" I asked, imagining that this must be the most emaciated six-month-old baby I had ever seen. "She is three years old," her father replied.

Malnutrition in Dadaab is especially afflicting the most vulnerable - children under the age of five. A recent survey conducted by IRC found that over the past year malnutrition rates have increased in all three of Dadaab's camps. In the Hagadera camp, where the IRC operates its hospital, the rate jumped to 13.6 per cent from 11.2 per cent.

Aid agencies and the Kenyan government are doing their best, but the influx of refugees into Dadaab is overwhelming. Around 5,000 refugees arrive every month, most fleeing violence and drought in Somalia. Many of the new arrivals are exhausted and sick after their journey, which is particularly hard on young children. Once in the camp, refugees face a lack of water and sanitation and the threat of disease.

The good news is that the IRC and other aid organisations have been able to reduce the rate of severe acute malnutrition in all three of Dadaab's camps. Still, the anaemia rate is startlingly high - more than 70 per cent - clearly demonstrating the need for increased assistance to Dadaab's young population.

Malnutrition is not limited to refugees. In October 2008, the Kenyan government declared a national food emergency. Indeed, while on a drive through Fafi district, where the Dadaab camp is located, it becomes clear that the lack of food is a major problem in the region. Community leaders say that their wells are dry and that prized livestock are dying from starvation. Meanwhile, they complain about sky-high prices for food staples like maize.

It is hoped that the fall rains will bring some relief. But the situation is dire and it is critical that international donors, aid agencies and the Kenyan government search for effective ways to address the crisis.

• Beza Tesfaye is an International Rescue Committee intern currently working in Kenya.