**Overview **
• Introduction: Mentao refugee camp received the first refugee families at the beginning of February 2012. It is the largest UNHCR official camp and hosts 4,838 families of 16,543 individuals. Some of the refugees have settled in spontaneous sites around Djibo area. In addition, Mentao has approx. 3,000 animals comprising goats, sheep, cattle and donkeys.
• Geography and Implications: Mentao is located 5 km south of Djibo (of 30,000 residents), main town of Soum Province in the Sahel region. Djibo lies some 200 km north-west of Ouagadougou, the main capital. An average of 50 Malian refugees continues to arrive in Djibo through Baraboule, Lassa and Diguel border points.
• Hosting Capacity: The camp has the capacity to host up to 30,000 individuals. The Government has planned to relocate refugees to Tonga, 40 km east of Djibo, should Mentao camp reach its 30,000 assessed capacity.
• Camp Management and Coordination: Mentao camp is coordinated by UNHCR, administered by the CONAREF and managed by IEDA-Relief, an implementing partner of UNHCR. IEDA Relief is also responsible for Community Services activities and ensures that the full participation of the refugees in camp life through camp committees.
• Camp “Zones”: the camp itself is sub-divided into five sectors, Mentao North, Mentao Center, Mentao South, Mentao South-South and Mentao East. Each of these sectors has a predominant ethnic group as preferred by the refugees. Additionally, each Mentao has its own committee and president.
• Health: in order to ensure that both the host population and the refugees have access to free and quality health care, UNHCR health partner Médecins du Monde-France has constructed three health centres (two in semi-durable material and a tent health center). The French Red Cross evacuates more serious medical conditions to Djibo or Ouagadougou hospitals.
• Education: NGO partner Plan Burkina ensures access to primary education for children in Mentao with the construction of two primary schools with 15 classrooms (one located in between Mentao North and Center (Mentao A) and the second located in between Mentao Center and South (Mentao B). There are currently 6 classrooms being constructed in Mentao South-South by Plan Burkina. The low enrolment rate reflects the challenge faced by UNICEF, UNHCR, Plan Burkina and other education partners in Burkina Faso. In terms of secondary school, Save the Children provides secondary school education for 22 refugee girls in the form of “levelling courses” for those students who missed out in schooling because of conflict. In terms of pre-school, Plan Burkina has constructed five bisongo (pre-schools) in Mentao for children of 3 to 6 years of age.
• Child Protection: There are currently five child-friendly spaces for each Mentao Zone where Plan Burkina provides educational activities for children of all ages.
• Psychosocial: Psychosocial support is provided in Mentao Camp by two partners: Plan Burkina and the French Red Cross.
• Water and Sanitation: NGO Oxfam is implementing community-based water and sanitation activities with an Executive Water Committee (composed of 2 members) and an Executive Hygiene and Sanitation Committee (composed of 3 persons). Each zone of Mentao is composed of a sub-Committee composed of 4 persons, who are responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of the water points and latrines. The sub-committees also ensure that refugees participate in awareness raising activities and WASH workshops.
• Veterinarian Services: the partner Veterinarians Without Borders have vaccinated 40,217 animals belonging to the refugees and host communities in Soum Province.
• Environment: UNHCR has a partnership with NGO OCADES, which is responsible for distributing firewood to refugees so that refugee women and girls will not be exposed to potential sexual based violence as well as reducing illegal cutting of firewood.
• Civilian and Humanitarian Character of Camps: Security of Mentao camp is ensured by the presence of 15 security agents that have been trained by UNHCR in International Refugee Law and International Human Rights Law.