Refugee Camp In Your City - 2009
03.10.09
A replica shelter from a refugee camp complete with some simple belongings and improvised cooking implements. © Meredith Schofield
"Where will I live?" exhibit shows the simple shelters available in a refugee camp. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
A food distribution card entitles you to a combination of grains, beans or lentils, cooking oil, and perhaps some salt and sugar. But food aid does not include nutritional supplements needed by children under five – those most vulnerable to malnutrition. © Meredith Schofield
On average, the body needs more than 2,100 kilocalories per day per person to allow a normal, healthy life. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
"What about malnutrition?" exhibit. Malnutrition is the result of a persons diet lacking essential nutrients and vitamins. It is especially damaging to children's growing bodies and can be fatal. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
Médecins Sans Frontières field workers explain the challenges of childhood malnutrition. © Meredith Schofield
To treat malnutrition in children, Médecins Sans Frontières often uses Ready-to-use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF) that are enriched with the essential nutrients needed by children's growing bodies. © Meredith Schofield
Médecins Sans Frontières nurse Jodi Pipes explains how the various degrees of malnutrition are diagnosed in children under 5, by the use of a Mid Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) arm-band. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
An example of how water is delivered to refugee camps to ensure a clean water source by use of a large bladder and taps. © Meredith Schofield
Children are often required to carry these 20 Litre bottles several kilometers as their mother may be busy caring for their siblings in the shelter. This 20 Litres may be their only water available for the day, including their washing, cooking and cleaning. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
An example of the toilets that may be built by Médecins Sans Frontières to prevent the spread of disease, such as Cholera. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
Médecins Sans Frontières nurse Jodi Pipes explains how the squat toilet cover mechanism works to prevent flies getting in or out of the pit, preventing the spread of disease. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
"Where will I go to the toilet?" exhibit explains the dangers of water supplies being contaminated by human waste, and why it is important to build hygenic latrines in a refugee camp. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
The signs posted through-out Refugee Camp In Your City provide additional information to compliment the first-hand knowledge of the field guides. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
An example of a medical tent that Médecins Sans Frontières would use to diagnose and treat patients when they become ill in a refugee camp. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
Médecins Sans Frontières laboratory technicians have tests available to diagnose various diseases without having to leave the refugee camp or send the samples away, saving valuable time. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
At lunch-time the public do self-guided tours with the help of an information sheet so they can learn at their own pace. © Meredith Schofield
In the Cholera tent, you discover the dangers posed by Cholera in a refugee camp. A demonstration of how patients are treated with rehydration, isolation and their clothes treated with chlorine or destroyed. © Meredith Schofield
Médecins Sans Frontières brings a replica refugee camp to the heart of Melbourne city. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
Real field workers from Médecins Sans Frontières share their experiences in refugee camps with the public in Melbourne's Treasury Gardens. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
The threat of accidently stepping on a landmine is a problem for many refugees as they flee their homes. It is estimated if no more landmines were used from today, it would take over 100 years to remove all the existing landmines in the world. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
Before the launch of Refugee Camp In Your City in Melbourne, the tour guides compare notes on what they will discuss during the tours. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
The beautiful surrounds of Treasury Gardens in Melbourne are juxtaposed with the reality of life in a refugee camp being shared by the tour guides in Refugee Camp In Your City. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
Refugees often have to walk hundreds of kilometers to find safety in a refugee camp, so a used car tire can make a good pair of sandals for sore feet. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
Tour guides explain that refugees are often only given the bare essentials for food by aid agencies. They have to gather wood and start fires for cooking from whatever they can find nearby. Unfortunately a common childhood injury in refugee camps is burns suffered by children from cooking fires. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
A bowl of food provided to refugees that contains roughly the recommended 2100 kilocalories required for a healthy body. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
The food provided by food aid agencies often does not contain the nutrients needed by children, especially children under 5 years of age, leading to malnutrition. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
The replica medical tent is the workplace of Médecins Sans Frontières doctors, nurses and lab technicians. There is often no electricity (unless fuel is available for a generator), running water, or high-tech equipment you may find in a Melbourne hospital. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
Médecins Sans Frontières nurse Jodi Pipes explains the benefits of ready-to use therapeutic foods (RUTF) such as Plumpy'nut for children suffering from moderate to severe malnutrition. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
The launch of Refugee Camp In Your City in Melbourne was commenced by a welcome speech from Médecins Sans Frontières Australia board member Mr Dino Asproloupos. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
City of Melbourne representative Councillor Jennifer Kanis gave a speech to launch the event in Treasury Gardens. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
One of the first tours on launch day of Refugee Camp In Your City in Melbourne, led by nurse Alana Baker. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
Explaining the challenges faced by refugees fleeing their homes in search of safety. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
Médecins Sans Frontières tour guide Dr Tonia Marquardt guides an early tour on launch day in Melbourne. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
Dr Tonia Marquardt explains the food distribution process to her tour group. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
Médecins Sans Frontières nurse Ruth Priestley discusses the challenges of malnutrition with her tour group. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
Visitors are often surprised by the logistics involved in making sure hygiene and safe water-supplies are maintained in a refugee camp. © Sean Brokenshire / MSF
"Where will I live?" An information stand that explains to visitors the situations that often lead to people fleeing their homes, only to walk for many days or weeks in search of a safe place to live. © Meredith Schofield
A toy truck built by children in a refugee camp from scrap metal, and some simple cooking oil burners. © Meredith Schofield
Baskets and cooking pots and pans used by refugees to cook and carry their modest belongings. © Meredith Schofield
Replica hut shelter from a refugee camp with various items used by refugees to survive day-to-day. © Meredith Schofield
A replica hut shelter with mosquito net inside to protect the occupant from malaria during sleep. © Meredith Schofield
Various replica shelters as used by refugees around the world in refugee camps. © Meredith Schofield
The food distribution tent explaining the challenges faced by refugees attempting to provide enough food for their families each day. © Meredith Schofield
A tour group towards the end of the day starts their journey through the refugee camp. © Meredith Schofield
A simple emergency shelter, based on the plastic sheeting provided during an initial response. The refugee has to find the supporting material to build the shelter structure. © Meredith Schofield
The Médecins Sans Frontières logo on the side of a tent is where refugees know they can visit to receive free medical treatment. © Meredith Schofield
This tent at the end of the tour contains several personal stories told by refugees about their experiences. © Meredith Schofield
Refugee Camp In Your City visitors complete their tour and collect their thoughts before heading into the Info Tent. © Meredith Schofield
Médecins Sans Frontières nurse Alana Baker explains the various degrees of malnutrition in children. © Meredith Schofield
