This past weekend I experienced one of the most influential moments in my life. Ever since the end of my Sophomore year at USF I was interested in doing Refugee studies. I explored different opportunities I could have after I graduate working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, etc...(of course all dream jobs). Recently in the news, the civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has reached the border of Uganda (North-East Congo, South-West Uganda). People have been crossing the border into a Refugee Camp set up by UNHCR but run by Red Cross. This past weekend I went to the Refugee Camp. It surpassed all expectations I had and actually left me bewildered. I intended for the people to be sad about their refugee status, upset they left home, and overall angry at the circumstance. On the contrary, they were hopeful, happy, and very willing to speak with me. Yes, they were sad they left their homes and jobs, but they were so grateful to have a safe place to live. None of them desired to return home until the fighting was completely over. There are a few exceptions with one boy we spoke to who was alone in the camp. He woke up in the middle of the night at his house to find that his parents had left him. The next morning he walked to the Refugee Camp to see if his parents had gone there (from the DRC border, it is a 25 km walk to the camp). He has not found them yet and decided to return back to the DRC to search for them. He rather risk his life to find family than to stay in a safe place. The people I met were truly remarkable and I will never forget what I saw and experienced that day. I really want to go back to the camp this coming weekend. This is the first time that I felt I really don’t want to go home and wish I could stay at least one more week!! In the end, we didn’t have a lot of money to buy thank you gifts for touring us around but we did manage to buy 3 soccer balls and 4 cases of water. Hopefully I can go back....
A row of tents in the Refugee Camp.
The men mixing the breakfast of porridge fortified with soya.
The people are given two meals a day. Once at 10 which consists of porridge that is fortified with soya. The second is around 5/6 and is a plate of rice and peas or rice and beans (whatever they have left in storage).
This child is malnourished and has been given Plumpy Nut to regain his weight.
The view from outside the camp.
This is the medical tent where the doctors test for malnutrition and other infections or diseases. If a child is malnourished, they are given two packets of Plumpy Nut. Plumpy Nut is full of carbs, calories, and nutrients that is supposed to jump start a person back to normal weight.
Food that was just dropped off by UNHCR (they gave rice) and USAID (they gave peas). The six large piles to the left are from UNHCR and the small three piles to the right are from USAID.
The Transit Center that the Ugandan Government donated to UNHCR to hold a Refugee Camp.
Right now they have water but they are expected to have a shortage soon. This is how all the little kids were drinking before they filled up their canteens.
This is the border where it takes 25 km from here to the camp.
Lily and I in front of one of the tents. Each tent is split in half and holds two families.
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