Osire refugees starving amid cash shortfalls
UNHCR bemoans limited funding
Hundreds of refugees at Osire Refugee Camp, located about 200 km north of Windhoek, have gone nearly ten months without cash assistance, leaving families struggling to buy food and meet basic needs.
Victor Afande, a refugee representative at the camp, said the situation worsened after the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) transitioned from providing monthly food parcels to a cash-based programme earlier this year. Many households, he explained, have not received a single payment under the new system.
“Initially, UNHCR provided us with food parcels every month, but this year we were required to sign up for the cash-based initiative, which loads funds onto our cellphones through MTC Maris,” Afande told Network Media Hub. Under the programme, the head of a household originally received N$685 per month, while each additional family member received N$335. Since June, these amounts were reduced to N$470 for the household head and N$260 per member.
Afande said that while some families have received payments, more than 111 households remain in limbo, struggling to survive and fearing that desperation could drive some into crime. Efforts to seek help from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration, he added, have so far been futile, leaving refugees “sent from pillar to post” with no concrete assistance.
Refugees left in limbo
Afande described a series of failed engagements with UNHCR, including one meeting for which refugees even contributed funds to hire a hall, only for the event to be abruptly cancelled when officials noticed the presence of local media. “They just left us there. We were humiliated and ignored,” he said.
He also alleged irregularities in the system, noting that some names on the beneficiary list belong to refugees who have already been resettled abroad in countries such as the United States and Canada. “How can someone who is no longer here still receive money, while those of us living here get nothing?” Afande asked. He described the situation as “fraudulent and unacceptable.”
UNHCR cites funding shortfalls
UNHCR’s external relations officer Jan De Bisschop confirmed that not all registered refugees receive cash due to limited funding. The agency previously provided in-kind food support but shifted to cash transfers earlier this year to allow families to purchase essentials locally and support the Namibian market. Payments are distributed via MTC Maris mobile money accounts registered to the household head, he said.
De Bisschop explained that, amid declining global and local funding, the agency prioritises those with the greatest need. “Priority is given to families that consistently collected food in 2024 and newly arrived families residing at Osire who request assistance,” he said. “Profiles of resettled refugees are immediately deactivated, and only active household members continue to receive funds.”
Despite these explanations, Afande said the reality on the ground remains dire. “We have been raising this issue since January. People are hungry, yet the agency has failed to provide clear answers or timely relief,” he said. “While some received the cash, over 111 families are still left in limbo. Immediate assistance is urgently needed.”
UNHCR emphasised that support is determined by need and said it is working to refine criteria to ensure limited resources reach the most vulnerable. The organisation is also focusing on livelihood initiatives, skills development, and other interventions aimed at helping refugees achieve self-reliance.
Victor Afande, a refugee representative at the camp, said the situation worsened after the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) transitioned from providing monthly food parcels to a cash-based programme earlier this year. Many households, he explained, have not received a single payment under the new system.
“Initially, UNHCR provided us with food parcels every month, but this year we were required to sign up for the cash-based initiative, which loads funds onto our cellphones through MTC Maris,” Afande told Network Media Hub. Under the programme, the head of a household originally received N$685 per month, while each additional family member received N$335. Since June, these amounts were reduced to N$470 for the household head and N$260 per member.
Afande said that while some families have received payments, more than 111 households remain in limbo, struggling to survive and fearing that desperation could drive some into crime. Efforts to seek help from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration, he added, have so far been futile, leaving refugees “sent from pillar to post” with no concrete assistance.
Refugees left in limbo
Afande described a series of failed engagements with UNHCR, including one meeting for which refugees even contributed funds to hire a hall, only for the event to be abruptly cancelled when officials noticed the presence of local media. “They just left us there. We were humiliated and ignored,” he said.
He also alleged irregularities in the system, noting that some names on the beneficiary list belong to refugees who have already been resettled abroad in countries such as the United States and Canada. “How can someone who is no longer here still receive money, while those of us living here get nothing?” Afande asked. He described the situation as “fraudulent and unacceptable.”
UNHCR cites funding shortfalls
UNHCR’s external relations officer Jan De Bisschop confirmed that not all registered refugees receive cash due to limited funding. The agency previously provided in-kind food support but shifted to cash transfers earlier this year to allow families to purchase essentials locally and support the Namibian market. Payments are distributed via MTC Maris mobile money accounts registered to the household head, he said.
De Bisschop explained that, amid declining global and local funding, the agency prioritises those with the greatest need. “Priority is given to families that consistently collected food in 2024 and newly arrived families residing at Osire who request assistance,” he said. “Profiles of resettled refugees are immediately deactivated, and only active household members continue to receive funds.”
Despite these explanations, Afande said the reality on the ground remains dire. “We have been raising this issue since January. People are hungry, yet the agency has failed to provide clear answers or timely relief,” he said. “While some received the cash, over 111 families are still left in limbo. Immediate assistance is urgently needed.”
UNHCR emphasised that support is determined by need and said it is working to refine criteria to ensure limited resources reach the most vulnerable. The organisation is also focusing on livelihood initiatives, skills development, and other interventions aimed at helping refugees achieve self-reliance.
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