What is a refugee?

Under international law, refugees are persons who "owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his (sic) nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country ... " (1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees)

Generally, refugees are people who have been forced to flee their homes, their lands, have lost family and friends, have few possessions and have been the subject of human rights violations.

Who helps refugees?
Once they have crossed the border of their country into a country of first asylum, refugees' immediate and basic needs are usually provided by the government of that country and/or the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and/or non-government humanitarian agencies from that country and the international community (eg. Medecins Sans Frontiers, Red Cross).

What are refugee camps and settlements like?
The quality of camps and the freedoms and liberties afforded by the host countries vary greatly throughout the world.The refugee camps in Africa in which the Sudanese Diaspora have sought shelter are in various nearby countries, including Kenya, Uganda, the Congo and Ethiopia. In Cairo, Egypt, Sudanese refugees tend to live in the poorer parts of the city.

Refugee camps are harsh places to live. Although the international community provides all supplies, they are often insufficient for the sizable and changeable refugee communities. Diseases like cholera and dysentery are common, as are nutrition-related diseases like scurvy and beri-beri.The camps are subject to attacks from roving bands of armed bandits. It is believed that rebels use the camps and settlements to recruit men and boys.

UNHCR - The UN Refugee Agency
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) protects and
supports refugees and assists in their return or resettlement.