My cousins are about to die

[FourScore]

Tue Jul 19, 2011 at 07:14 AM PDT
My cousins are about to die
by The TroubadourFollow

...and the only thing I can think of doing, at this difficult moment, is just talk about it. Maybe you'll be able to help somehow.

But before I do, here's a picture of my cousin. She's seven & beautiful. Her name is Fartun. I wish I knew her better than I do – we've kind of gone different paths in our lives, and never really had the chance to meet. But I love her. And she needs help.


Seven-year-old Fartun Hassan smiles shyly after hanging a cloth she had just washed on a tree at a Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) hospital in Dadaab

Fartun right now is in Dadaab, the largest refugee camp in the world situated in an arid corner of Kenya. She is Somali – our families kind of went separate ways a long time ago. Actually, mine did, moving out of Africa and migrating into the Middle East, then up through Europe and finally, recently, to North America. Her family remained in Africa, and even though I left a long, long time ago, I still think of that place. And right now, I'm thinking of her. Of how I'd like to play soccer with her one day. If she survives. If I can help her survive.

Fartun is just one of a staggering 11 million Africans who are caught, at this moment, in one of the greatest humanitarian crises in human history.

I've never gotten a chance to visit my cousin Fartun in Dadaab, but my friend Nazanine Moshiri has, and this is how she describes the place:

I have been to refugee camps before, but nothing on the sheer scale of Dadaab. The camp was only supposed to house tens of thousands, but according to the latest UNHCR figures there are now more than 370,000 people here.

An additional 10,000 or so people still unregistered - add that to the 1,000 or more arriving every single day.

The facility is just huge - split into three sections by kilometres of dark golden sand, swirling in the wind. One of the most famous of inner camps is called Dagahaley, this is where many of the people who have walked for days, first arrive.

What really strikes you is just how many women and children there are. Their faces, hands and feet covered in dust that has turned their skin a greyish colour. It is estimated that 80 per cent of the Somalis coming are women and children...

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/07/19/995910/-My-cousins-are-about-to-die?via=siderec

[democrank]

1. K & R

[spin]

2. K&R (n/t)

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. K&R

[sce56]

4. We all came from Africa!

My fathers family path from Africa



The Male chromosome path



The Female chromosome path

[gateley]

5. OMG. Heartbreaking. In this world, with so much wealth,

this shouldn't be the fate for even one human being. :cry:

[ej510]

12. It is. It seems like Africans are always ignored.

[jwirr]

6. This may not be a workable suggestion but contact Save the Children

and ask if you can become her sponsor. Usually they will not hook you with someone they do not offer but given that you know of her - they may be willing. We sponsor a child (little boy) in Tanzania through Compassion. Even these programs may fail in such terrible conditions but it is worth a try.

[TheMadMonk]

7. But, but, but... What about my cell phone?

:sarcasm:

For the record: my phone is 5 years old and will only be replaced when it fails of old age. If it gets obsoleted from the network, it probably won't be replaced at all.

[AverageJoe90]

8. So sad.

I honestly wish there was something I could do. :-(

[Forkboy]

9. K and a frustrated R.

[indurancevile]

10. The US is drone bombing in somalia. the us is all over somalia, as is most of europe.

[ej510]

11. K&R I know how the writer feels, my people are dying in Ethiopia. Even though

Eritreans are beefing with Ethiopians I have love for them to, because we are essentially the same people.

[Starry Messenger]

13. recommend.