France

Fieldset

Calais is a port town in northern France and the departure point for ferries headed to the United Kingdom (UK). It was also the site of “The Jungle”: an informal camp made up of refugees and migrants who had travelled to Calais in the hopes of reaching the UK.

“The Jungle” was not the only informal camp in France, but it was the largest. The lack of sanitation and exposure to the elements had serious consequences for people’s health. Before they were evicted in 2016, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) filled gaps in the response to medical, psychological and sanitation needs.

Mohammad Ghannam

Communications

Anger and loss as French police raze Jungle camp

"The sheer sight of the police frightens everyone in the Jungle equally — men, women and children. Some people, feeling stripped of what little dignity they had left, obey orders and leave their temporary homes with little fuss."

14 Mar 2016 / 6 minute read

Mohammad Ghannam

Communications

Refugees face ‘slow death’ in Calais Jungle

“This is how we live. Since when do people in modern Europe live like this? They put us in camps without decent food. We just sit around. We count the days. It’s a slow death.”

29 Feb 2016 / 6 minute read