More than 11,200 internally displaced people (IDPs) have been
registered with more arriving at the Show Ground camp in Eldoret in
Kenya's Rift Valley Province, the area most affected by
post-election violence in early January.

The camp, supported by the Kenya Red Cross and IOM, may soon
reach its maximum capacity of 13,000, requiring a new location for
another common accommodation centre if arrivals continue.

An estimated 120,000 people are believed to have been displaced
in Rift Valley Province with several tens of thousands of IDPs
currently seeking shelter in churches, schools and other centres
ill-equipped to provide their needs. 

As numbers at the Show Ground camp swell, efforts are underway
to improve and reinforce services such as lighting and
security.

IOM is also working to prevent environmental damage by limiting
the need for IDPs to chop trees by providing firewood for cooking
purposes. The Organization's efforts have been bolstered by the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) which has agreed to
provide 30 tonnes of firewood as well as wooden poles for shelter
construction. With large population movements and the establishment
of IDP and refugee camps often leading to significant environmental
damage in places they are based, IOM will try and protect the areas
around camps in Rift Valley Province through the rebedding of
saplings and plants in other areas until the crisis is over. Public
information campaigns will also be carried out to encourage IDPs
not to cut down trees or destroy plants.

IOM is appealing for an additional USD 1.4 million to carry out
these and other activities in response to the displacement crisis
following the violence. It has already received over USD 660,000
from the UN's Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for
camp-management related activities and to respond rapidly to acute
transportation needs of vulnerable IDPs who need to move to safer
areas.

Funds from the appeal will also be used for the provision of
psycho-social assistance including carrying out needs assessments
and the creation of counselling and recreational centres. The
impact of gender-based violence, displacement, the loss of
livelihoods and physical and psychosocial trauma will necessitate
such assistance, particularly among young children. About 50 per
cent of IDPs in Rift Valley Province are children under five.

Funds are also being requested to support Kenya's National
Operations Centre, the District Commissioner and the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in the eventual and
voluntary relocation, return and resettlement of the most
vulnerable IDPs in Uasin Gishu and North Rift Valley Districts as
well as in other parts of the country.

For further information, please contact:

Ashraf El Nour

IOM Kenya

Tel: +254 20 4444 167

E-mail: "mailto:aelnournbo@iom.int" target="_blank" title=
"">aelnournbo@iom.int