KENYA 2007 Lokichokio is an artificial town, emerging from a no man’s land located in northern Kenya near the Sudanese border.
15 years ago, in this remote “Far East” a UN camp was temporarily set up. To give aid to the Southern Sudanese war-wounded, more than 80 NGOs worldwide came to settle, under UN supervision, in this 300-inhabitant village.
Today, the small village has turned into a 25000-inhabitant city, including 300 expatriates. In spite of this gathering of know-hows and facilities, today in Lokichokio, there are only four water wells, no garbage collection and no electricity.
The flurry oh humanitarian aid jumbo-jet punctuate a daily emergency that has been lasting for years.
Everyday, nearly 125 tons of food coming from Nairobi and Mombassa reach Lokichokio. Next, the air-lift attracted thousands of Kenyans looking for a job: drivers, kitchen aid, packer… but also developing a genuine humanitarian business, running on prostitution, pilots and reselling goods.
Peace agreements signed in January 2005 will put an end to this humanitarian eldorado. Africa’s biggest hospital, handled by the ICRC, and which exclusively takes care of Sudanese war-wounded, will definitely close down in June 2006.
The numerous NGOs will resettle in Southern-Sudan, leaving behind a city with no reason to be.
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