- Location:
Gateway to Sudan approximately 1000 Kms away from Nairobi
- Orientation:
21st November 2011
- Theme:
Refugee Crisis - Conflict in the Horn of Africa
- Camp Language:
English
- THE COMMUNITY:
Kakuma Arid Zone Boarding Primary School.
This school was started in 1989. It was started through the initiative of World Bank through the government of Kenya, Ministry of Education who were the brain child of the idea. World Bank started the school with the following objectives.
a. To avail quality education to the pastoralists and nomad children and they moved seeking for greener pastures.
b. To enable the Turkana child acquire quality education considering the limited number of schools in the area.
c. To provide equal education opportunities to both boys and girls from the nomad community.
d. To elevate the educational standards and set standards for quality education.
The volunteers will be accommodated at the primary school which is a mixed gender schools for boys and girls. The school is mixed for boys and girls. The school enrolment currently stands at 1122 pupils. The population of girls stands at 473 and that of boys 649. The girls are vulnerable to cultural practices such as early marriages and other peer pressure such as teen's pregnancy.
Low enrolment levels among the Turkana children in school are testimony that the majority of the local people do not take education of their children seriously and why the ratio of girls to boys favours the male gender.
It is important to note that the community lacks role models in educational matters and why it is important to promote sustainable methods to encourage the young generation to appropriately handle educational obligations.
Volunteers would be request to join hand through such initiatives where though it will be during holidays, an organized session with the girls will be in place.
- BACKGROUND OF KAKUMA REFUGEE CAMP:
Kakuma Arid Zone Boarding Primary School is situated far north in Rift Valley province approximately 1000 kms from Nairobi. It is in Turkana North district, Kakuma Division of Kakuma location, in one of the driest and marginalized part of Kenya. The refugee camp and the Turkana community boarders Ethiopia and Sudan from the north, the Pokot tribe in the south, the Karamonjong from Uganda in the west and the Boran, Rendile, Burji and Gabra communities in the East. The exact distance from Nairobi to Kakuma Town is 19 hours journey by public transport with at least 4 stopovers.
History of Kakuma Refugee Camp -
Kakuma Refugee Camp was established in 1992 to cater for people running away from Sudan, which was engulfed in civil war. Its status has changed over years to accommodate asylum seekers from other parts of the great lakes region and the Horn of Africa.
An estimated 38,000 Sudanese refugees returned at home after the peace Agreement in 2005.
The outcome of the secession of South Sudan after the historic referendum will further influence the role of the larger Sudan in the regional cooperation and it is expected that this will after Governance structures in the region and enhance peace and therefore play a bigger role in easing the refugees problems that have bedevilled the horn of Africa.
History and composition of the Turkana community -
Turkana is a tribe found in the northern part of Kenya. They originated from a place called {MORUNAYECE} a small hill where once upon a time there lived a woman who was a wild fruit gatherer. As a result of drought they moved and followed river Tarach and met the wild gatherer where she directed them move to Oropoi hill where there was adequate grass for their animals and enough fruits. This is where they settled.
The Turkana are the plain Nilotes and pastoralists/nomads in nature moving from one place to another in search of water and green pastures for their animals{cows, goats and sheep}.They rear animals and do not have permanent homes as the weather conditions dictates their movements. They sometimes practice farming like growing of sorghum especially when the weather is favourable.
The Turkana are still strongly inclined to their cultural values evidently through their dressing code (traditional attire), beautiful bunch of necklaces around the necks of women and earrings. The characteristic traditional values are at stake with the modern world especially with the impact of globalization playing an important role in shaping the 21st century. This is evident along the streets of Kakuma where a mixture of modern world and the conservative Turkana culture are at cross roads. Seemingly we can say indeed it's the impact of the Refugee camp on the Turkana community!
The Turkana homes are known as Manyattas and the small huts are called Akaai in the Turkana languages. At a certain age {15 years old} and above the Turkana men have to identify themselves by carrying a wooden curving {Ekichdong} which acts as a seat and pillow when they are resting, a walking stick {Asongaat} and a hand knife {Abarite}. In total the Turkana are classified into 17 clans.
- THEME - REFUGEE CRISIS IN THE HORN OF AFRICA:
Composition of the refugees' camp -
Kakuma Refugee camp is a composition of children, women and men running away for safety, food, shelter and medicine following deadly conflict in their countries. It comprises of at least 7 countries torn apart by internal conflicts or civil strife in the great lakes and the horn of Africa. The countries include Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and Ethiopia.
The population at the Refugee camp stood at 93,000 in 2006 though there is expatriation process going on and trickling of the refugees back again because of instability in their countries of origin. Majority of the population in the refugee camp are the Sudanese who actually constitutes half of the population. By the end of July this year the population of the camp stood at 74,367 with refugees from 13 countries.
The big number of the refugees calls for provision of basic needs like shelter, food, medicine, and care. Under the umbrella of UNHCR various implementing partners/agencies are working hand in hand to assist the refugees by provision of the basic needs to the refugees. This calls for addressing the plight of refugees and at the same times focusing on the socio-economic struggles of the respective community {Turkana}.
Plans to close the Kakuma Work Camp this year hit a snag due to the on going conflicts in countries neighbouring Kenya. It had previously been hoped that the comprehensive peace agreement for Sudan would significantly reduce the number of those seeking Assylum. The refugees are still streaming in from as far as Rwanda and Burundi.
For more information about Kakuma Refugee camp one can log into UNHCR website for update information as the data information keeps on changing.
- WORK/STUDY:
Volunteers will work for six hours daily from Mondays to Fridays. They will be involved in brick making, construction, teaching and awareness campaign on Refugee Crisis in the Horn of Africa in collaboration with community based organizations and home visits.
- ACCOMMODATION:
Volunteers will be accommodated in a house provided by the community with separate rooms for male and female. This will be in a workcamp set up where there are no beds and they will sleep on the floor on their mats and sleeping bags to experience complexities of development challenges in rural Kenya.
Volunteers with special needs like those who are physically challenged should alert KVDA on application so that efforts are made to accommodate them appropriately.
- CAMP FEES:
Volunteers participating in this project will be required to pay Euros 300 for a package of three weeks and this will include Airport Pick Up and drop off after the work camp, one day full board accommodation during the orientation day, fares to the project and back, food, facilitation, certificate of participation and will cater for Administrative costs as well.
KISWAHILI TRAINING PROGRAM {optional} :Kiswahili training program is tailor-made to suit volunteers' preference and open to individuals keen to have basic knowledge in Kiswahili that is widely spoken in East Africa and nowadays taught in prestigious Universities in the world. The 10-day program is organized in a serene atmosphere in order to quench for thirst among volunteers. Those willing to participate in the program should inform KVDA at least two weeks before arrival. Charges - Euro 200 all inclusive.
- EDUCATiONAL TOURS:
KVDA Organizes educational tours to spectacular sites of Interest and the fees charged is all inclusive of meals, accommodation and tour guiding. This will be held before or after the work camp and those who wish to participate should make the application at least two weeks before arrival to enable KVDA put its act together. 10% of the income from the Educational Tours is used to support community projects.
Due to an increase in the park fees by Kenya Wild Life Service, the following are the charges with effect from 1st January 2011.
3 days tour to Masaai Mara National Park – 350 Euros
4th day tour to Lake Nakuru an extra 150 Euros
Nairobi National park (One Day) - 150 Euros
Bomas of Kenya - 100 Euros
