Dadaab refugee camp is a sprawling expanse of five separate settlements in northern Kenya. It’s home to many Somali refugees - and has been for decades. In Dadaab we met a young man named Omar. He’s a 16 year old orphan, who stays with a family friend in Dadaab. Life can be difficult, but he has big dreams. He wants to become a doctor. He tries to keep up with his studies while spending his nights sleeping on a bed of cardboard boxes. We knew there were some things we could do to help Omar stay in school – starting with a good night’s sleep. With the help of a few fellow humanitarians, we got Omar a real bed to sleep on and some supplies for school. This act of a kindness for a person in need may seem small. But it's not. For Omar, having a comfortable bed to sleep on – instead of uncomfortable cardboard – will mean that he’ll sleep a little deeper. And maybe tomorrow, he’ll have renewed energy to greet the day – to achieve his big dreams. … [Read more...] about A Good Night’s Sleep

For the next couple of days, we’re making a quick stop in Dadaad Refugee Camp in northern Kenya. Dadaab is one of the world’s largest refugee camps. Established in the early 1990s as a response to the conflict in neighboring Somalia, thousands of Somalis have called the camp home for decades. But all that is changing. Over the past few years, more and more Somalis are returning home, going back to a more peaceful Somalia. This migration back home is a story that is largely untold. But Sahal, a young journalist raised in Dadaab, had an idea. He wanted to capture this moment in history, a moment when people who have called themselves neighbors, friends, and families are separated forever. Where whole communities are slowly disappearing. Every day, he watches his neighborhood grow smaller, as those he’s known for years pack their things to return home. He wanted a way to record what was happening to his world. For Day 112, we’re giving Sahal a way to do that – with a brand new … [Read more...] about Through a New Lens