4.10 Camps

Communities made homeless will settle where they can and will set up self-settled, informal camps if no other option is available. These camps are often small, on unsuitable sites with services that are often inadequate, overburdened or entirely absent. Self-settled camps can sometimes be overlooked by UN agencies and the government. Therefore, these camps often require support.

CARE may support displaced communities in camps by:

• providing self-settled camps with additional resources, where the site is deemed appropriate
• providing resources such as household items, construction materials, cash or vouchers to the camp population, preferably in situations where the local markets are functioning and accessible for the camp dwellers and to enable them to make a choice in meeting their priority needs or cover temporarily for a lack of income generating opportunities.

For further guidance see:

• Guidance Notes for Informal Tented Settlements Shelter Intervention Projects – CARE & UNHCR (Specifically for Syria, but much is applicable in other contexts).