Ivorian children find temporary homes in Liberia refugee camp | Liz Ford

Among those fleeing post-election violence in Ivory Coast are a large number of children, many without their parents. Many are treated in the camp of Bahn, on the border with Liberia

appeared when gunmen in the city that 13 years Gbeho Israel knew it was time to run.

Toulepleu

City County Guiglo, Ivory Coast, was attacked. Israel did not know if the fighters were supporters of Laurent Gbagbo, the country's ousted president, and Alassane Ouattara, his successor. What I knew was that I needed to find his sister five years, Pacific, and join the crowd of people fleeing the city and head to the border with Liberia.

"I just saw the armed men arrived in the city. No time to see my family," said Israel, who at that time was living with relatives in the city, while he and his sister went to school. "We walked away from Bush to my parents, but when we arrived, I saw my parents. We meet other people in Liberia to escape so that he joined them. "

The next day, Israel and the Pacific were in a transit point for refugees from the United Nations in northern Liberia and finally transferred to a refugee camp in Bahn, Nimba County.

It was in March. In late May, Israel had not yet heard from their parents or knew his fate.

Pacific

and Israel are among the more than 2,000 children now Bahn camp, located 52 kilometers from the border with Ivory Coast. The camp was built in January in an attempt to relieve pressure on the border towns that have been filled with Ivorians fleeing post-election violence. Bahn was built to accommodate 15,000 people, but only came in May 5000. Most people chose instead to stay a little closer to home, and in many cases were offered refuge in the homes of Liberians living in villages along the border (Liberian families have returned the favor the support he received from Ivory Coast, they were forced to flee the civil war).

According to figures published by the refugee agency of the UN, UNHCR, in May, more than 175,800 Ivorian refugees have crossed into Liberia since the disputed elections last November, the Most established in Nimba County. Thousands more have fled to Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo and Ghana.

Since joining Bahn - a vast area of ??cleared completely white canvas tents Bush marked the UN - Israel and Pacific placed in a foster home, while the International Committee of the Red Cross Red helps to find the parents. Pacific now attends elementary school in the camp and in the absence of any formal school, Israel spends his time in what is known as a "child-friendly space" (SCF), a class offering youth club young people opportunities to learn, play, share experiences, receive advice and gain the skills they are supposed to be used when they return home.

• School and SCF were created by the NGO Save the Children, which is responsible for education and protection of children in the camp.

unaccompanied or separated, as well as Israel and the Pacific, present a special challenge when they Bahn. Apart from the anxiety of having to flee their homes, without close relatives, some young people, especially girls, may have been sexually assaulted in their own way. Ensure their protection while in the area is vital, says Fiona Bukirwa, director of Save the Children child protection Bahn. "When they arrive, workers who have the most urgent needs that must be placed in foster care," he said. "We're trying to put a family of classes. We monitor on a regular basis."

Bukirwa said that since January about 450 children came to the camp, alone or with parents who are not their usual caregivers. He said about 50 girls reported being sexually assaulted. "We have many cases of children who are raped or raped on the way. It's a big problem that we face."

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