displacement

Kenya: The plight of a “pastoralist drop-out” July 13, 2011

I’m a big fan of visiting markets, especially during Mercy Corps trips. It seems that even in the bleakest parts of the world, markets are vibrant, dynamic and often colorful places.

Kenya: Grandmother and granddaughter struggle against the drought July 12, 2011

Nimu Adan and her baby granddaughter in drought-stricken Garissa, Kenya. Their family herds goats, and many of them are sick and starving.

Kenya: Struggling to keep a goat alive July 12, 2011

I arrived in Garissa, Kenya — a city of at least 180,000 people not far from the border with Somalia — today after a long, hot drive from Nairobi. I’ll be in Garissa and areas to the north for the remainder of the week to see how this year’s drought has impacted families in the area.

Japan: What's buzzing in Japan July 12, 2011

I added a new word in my Japanese vocabulary today: hae, which is the word for that common insect, the fly. In the tsunami-affected area of Japan, flies are now everywhere.

Indonesia: Pushing back the sea July 11, 2011

In October 2010, a tsunami struck Indonesia's remote Mentawai Islands — killing hundreds, displacing thousands and changing the way of life for affected communities and families.

Indonesia: A video blog from Indonesia's remote Mentawai Islands July 11, 2011

Somalia: Will the U.S. stand by as famine looms in Somalia? July 7, 2011

"The drought has gotten so bad that we have seen camels dying of thirst," recounted a Mercy Corps colleague during my recent visit to Somalia.

South Sudan: South Sudan - The birth of a nation July 5, 2011

Mercy Corps began programs in South Sudan in 2004 to help devastated communities rebuild after decades of civil war. As South Sudan declares its independence from the north, Mercy Corps staff looks at the progress the people have made in the past six years.