In September 2011, the Hotes Foundation responded to an ongoing humanitarian crisis in Africa by providing relief to Somali refugees in Dadaab, Kenya. Severe drought and civil unrest forced many Somalis to flee about 65 miles across their homeland’s border with Kenya and into the largest refugee camp in the world. Many of the female refugees Hotes Foundation volunteers met near the border had walked for more than a week, carrying infants, as older children followed in tow. The Hotes Foundation distributed several tons of food items to the refugees, a move that helped stave off widespread starvation in the camp.
Although the safety of volunteers is a primary concern of the Hotes Foundation, sometimes the people in the most need are found in some of the world’s most dangerous locations. The Kenya-Somalia region is one such place. Because of terrorism and kidnapping, the United Kingdom’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against any travel within 60 miles of the Kenya-Somalia border. The warnings did not deter the Hotes Foundation volunteers who traveled for hours across desert and unpaved roads under cover of darkness to help the poorest of the poor.
For more information on this mission or to learn how to volunteer with the Hotes Foundation, please call (425) 889-5917 or complete our online form.
