A roof that keeps the rain outside

A roof that keeps the rain outside

Whenever it rained, Sami* struggled to sleep. Water seeped through the roof and walls, soaking bedding, clothes, and food. Alongside the effort to keep things dry was another worry: would the shelter withstand the storm?

“Before, whenever it rained, we could not sleep because water came into the house, and we were always afraid the shelter would fall,” he recalls.

For the young boy, those worries followed him into the classroom. “I would always find myself in constant worry, making it hard to concentrate even in school.”

Displaced by conflict and separated from his grandmother, Sami eventually reached Kenya, where he joined young relatives. Together, they faced the daily challenges of living without an adult caregiver.

Their shelter, made from mud and worn tent material, offered little protection from the weather. Without a stable income or the resources to rebuild, the children had few ways to improve its condition. When rain came, protecting their belongings and finding somewhere dry to sleep took priority over rest.

Following a child protection assessment, the Danish Refugee Council identified the household’s need for shelter assistance. With funding from UNICEF, DRC constructed a new iron-sheet shelter to replace the deteriorating structure.

For Sami, the difference is measured in ordinary moments: sleeping through the rain, keeping school materials dry, and leaving home without the same worry about what a storm might bring. “Now we have a strong house where we feel safe,” he says. “I am happy because we can sleep well and focus on school without worrying about the rain.”

The new shelter has brought greater privacy and protection from the weather. It has also eased a source of anxiety that affected the children’s daily lives, giving them more space to concentrate on school and other activities.

Sami’s plans reach beyond the home he now shares with his relatives. He wants to continue his education, support his family, and eventually help other children facing similar difficulties. “I want to continue going to school and study hard so that I can have a better future and help my family.”

A new shelter cannot resolve every challenge facing children separated from their caregivers. But for Sami and his relatives, it has addressed an immediate need: a more secure place to sleep, keep their belongings, and return to after school. When the next rain comes, Sami hopes to keep his attention on his studies.

The name Sami is a pseudonym. Identifying details have been withheld to protect the privacy and safety of the child and the other children in the household.