Lived Experiences of Children with Physical and Health Impairments at Jewi Refugee Camp: Gambella Region
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Date
2017-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The main aim of this study was to describe the lived experiences of refugee children with
disabilities from their own perspective. Descriptive phenomenological research design was used.
Five children with disabilities in which the four have different types of physical disability and
one child was living with epilepsy, who were drawn using purposive sampling, were participated
in the study. Data were collected using unstructured face to face interview and observations field
notes. The interviews were made in ARRA field office of the refugee camp. In order to analyze
the data coding, categorizing and organization of major and sub themes were done. After
repeated reviews and coding of the data, four major themes were identified. These are 1. Refugee
camps as a survival for life, 2. Views of children with disability towards the nature of their
disability; 3. Challenges and obstacles within refugee camp, and 4. Outcomes of refugee
members’ observation and feelings on the life of children with disabilities. The findings revealed
that children with disabilities consider the refugee camp as a better place for their life to survive.
They also have different understandings on the nature of their disability and their views lied on
more of the traditional model of disabilities. The finding also showed that children with
disabilities face several challenges as a result of being a child with disability, and these
challenges and obstacle lead them to develop several problems because of the prejudice and
discriminations. Consequently based on the findings of the study recommendation were forwarded
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Jewi Refugee Camp