1. Wide shot, desert
2. Various shot, camp construction
3. Med shot, interior of tent,
4. Med shot, camp construction
5. Med shot, UNHCR tent
6. Various shots, refugee families in tents
7. Med shot, Adama Oumarou sweeping in front of her tent
8. SOUNDBITE (Zarma) Adama Oumarou, Malian Refugee:
“They came. They found us in our place. They took him. The blindfolded him and hit beat him. They killed him. It was even difficult for us to bury him. After that we left.”
9. Wide shot, Adama and her family
10. Various shots, children
11. SOUNDBITE (Zarma) Adama Oumarou, Malian Refugee:
“We were scared that we would be killed. We had nothing to eat. Our work was just looking after the Tuaregs’ animals.”
12. Med shot, UNHCR tent
13. Med shot, Family in tent
14. Various shots, camp construction
15. Med shot, Djemissi Ketawa, UNHCR site planner in the camp
16. Med shot, workers building tent
17. SOUNDBITE (French) Djemissi Ketawe, UNHCR Niger:
“We are extending the camp site to improve and organize the people.
We are tracing paths so that the families have enough space and can add to their shelters.”
18. Various shot, camp construction
19. Med shot, Zoueratou Maiga sitting in her tent
20. Close up. Zoueratou Maiga's baby
21. Close up, baby standing outside of tent
22. SOUNDBITE (Peule) Zoueratou Maiga, Malian refugee:
“They would come into the shops, steal everything. If they found young girls near their mothers, they took them and raped them. I saw young girls hurt and hospitalized in Gao (Mali).”
23. Wide shot, family in tent
24. Close up, girl's face
25. Various shots, refugee family in tent
26. Wide shot, Mangaize Camp
27. Wide shot, refugees walking in Mangaize camp
28. Med shot, family in tent
29. Close up, baby's face

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Storyline

This is the edge of the Sahara desert, it’s Mangazie, Niger, near the border with Mali.

A new UNHCR camp is under construction. Family size tents to replace the sheets and blankets the refugees have been living under for weeks.

This will provide better living conditions for the families who fled to this desolate region.

Adama Oumarou’s nephew was killed a month ago during a Tuareg attack.

SOUNDBITE (Zarma) Adama Oumarou, Malian refugee:
“They came. They found us in our place. They took him. The blindfolded him. They hit him. They beat him. They killed him. It was even difficult for us to bury him. After that we left.”

She and her family looked after cattle in Mali. Their journey was a nine-day donkey ride in the scorching heat.

Fifteen members of their family came along, including the little ones.

SOUNDBITE (Zarma) Adama Oumarou, Malian refugee:
“We were scared that we would be killed. We had nothing to eat. Our work was just looking after the Tuaregs’ animals.”

A few days ago they moved to this new camp they were some of the first arrivals.

The old makeshift camp is just a few meters away, but as the number of refugees grows so does the need for a better organized facility.

SOUNDBITE (French) Djemissi Ketawa, HCR Niger:
“We are extending the camp site to improve and organize the people.
We are tracing paths so that the families have enough space and can add to their shelters.”

Workers are putting up tents, latrines, showers and other facilities.

Zoueratou Maiga was also among the first ones here. She arrived with her five children. She says she witnessed the kidnapping of a young girl.

SOUNDBITE (Peule) Zoueratou Maiga, Malian refugee:
“They would come into the shops, steal everything. If they found young girls near their mothers, they took them and raped them. I saw young girls hurt and hospitalized in Gao (Mali).”

So the family fled as did many others, scared for their girls, for everyone.
It is here that they found some refuge.

This camp will eventually take in 3,000 people, but with the ongoing insecurity in northern Mali more are sure to come, fleeing war and hunger.