The forgotten refugees of the Western Sahara
Sahrawi refugees refer to the refugees of the Western Sahara (1975–1991) and who are the result of an unresolved political conflict between Western Sahara and Morocco. Refugees have been living in five camps in south-west Algeria close to Tindouf town since 1975 with little access to outside resources. Aid is still essential to their survival.
January, 2018
Fatimata is a ten year old Sahrawi refugee girl living in Awserd Camp, one of the five camps located in the Tindouf province of Algeria. With limited resources and only basic services and infrastructure in the camps, children have no places to play in and therefore resort to playing with scrap, wood pieces and rocks to entertain themselves.
Hassan sits on his bike in Smara camp watching the older boys play football in the field in front of him. The nine year old is one of the more than 90,000 Sahrawi refugees living in the five camps next to the Algerian city Tindouf.
"They will not let me play. I fetch the ball for them when it flies away; but this time I will not bring it until they let me play", said Hassan, who has been waiting for over an hour to join the football game.
Aziza is six years old, she and her family live in Awserd camp. Sahrawi girls have a sense of freedom to move around, however, the desert environment is limiting, despite the children's creativity to make the most of it.
Aziza is six years old, she and her family live in Awserd camp. Sahrawi girls have a sense of freedom to move around, however, the desert environment is limiting, despite the children's creativity to make the most of it.
Aziza is six years old, she and her family live in Awserd camp. Sahrawi girls have a sense of freedom to move around, however, the desert environment is limiting, despite the children's creativity to make the most of it.
A Sahrawi boy in a classroom at one of the schools in Laayoune camp.
