Refugee Bulle n Issue number V March - May 2012 UNHCR RWANDA
A refugee mother feeds her baby inside the laiterie , a disused milk factory serving as temporary shelter near the overflowing Nkamira Transit Centre
INSIDE THIS ISSUE © Anouck© / Bronée UNHCR Over 9,600 Congolese seek refuge in Rwanda p. 1-2 Rwanda copes with its first refugee influx since 2009: Re-registra on exercise complete p. 3 Government and inter-Agency response BPRM USA visits Rwandan camps p. 3
Figh ng broke out in North Kivu, Democra c Republic of the Congo (DRC) in April Brazilian donor visit to Gihembe p. 3 2012 between the Armed Forces of the Democra c Republic of the Congo (FARDC) Living as a refugee with a disability p. 4 and deser ng troops ini ally loyal to renegade General Bosco Ntaganda, who is want- ed by the Interna onal Criminal Court for war crimes, including the recruitment of Refugee womanhood p. 5 child soldiers.
The other Jolie: an urgent appeal p. 5 On Friday 27th April, 50 Congolese refugees crossed the grande barrière from Goma, DRC, into Gisenyi, Rwanda, with numbers swelling to over 1,000 by Sunday 29th. By Environment and hygiene in Kiziba p. 6 the end of the following week, Sunday 6th May, 5,866 individuals were registered at Genocide Commemora on p. 7 Nkamira Transit Centre, a facility just 25kms from the border which normally hosts Rwandan returnees for a night or two before their onwards journey home. Interview with our photographer p. 8 A mul -disciplinary team, consis ng of the Government of Rwanda and seven UN DAFI Scholars: the road ahead p. 9 agencies, led by the Ministry for Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs (MIDIMAR) and UNHCR, were deployed to Gisenyi from the outset to register the new Delivering as One for refugee children p. 10 arrivals, distribute food supplies and non-food items, and rehabilitate and expand to the best of their abili es the vastly overstretched facili es at the Transit Centre. A UNV’s viewpoint p. 11 Photo Gallery: Camp Life p. 12 … con nued inside Refugee Bulletin March - May 2012
Refugee influx news con nued...
Figh ng has intensified, forcing over 50,000 people to flee their homes , both within DRC, and to neighbouring Uganda and Rwanda. The conflict has taken place mainly in Masisi and Rutshu- ru territories, with airstrikes against the rebel-held towns in the Virunga Na onal Park near the Rwandan and Ugandan borders.
The refugees cite the conflict, an cipa on of conflict, mistreatment by soldiers, and fears of forced conscrip on into mili a groups as their main reasons for flight. As of 30 th May, 9,671 had been regis- tered and are accommodated at Nkamira, exceeding its capacity by over 4,000 . Not only does this mean there is serious pressure on service provision and the environment, but there is simply not enough shelter to go round.
Joint Response The efforts made by the Government under the leadership of MIDIMAR and with the support of the Ministry of Health, District officials, Immigra on and the Police, are supported by the One UN in Rwanda, under the leader- ship of UNHCR, alongside a team comprising UNICEF, WHO, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, and UN Women. This has been supplemented by the assistance of NGOs on the ground, which include the Rwandan Red Cross Society, African Humanitarian Ac on (AHA), the Adven st Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), Vision Jeunesse Nouvelle, Care Interna onal, Save the Children and Oxfam GB.
Key concerns UNHCR is par cularly concerned about a number of vuln erable individuals, including the 357 unaccompanied minors, and 53 pregnant mothers amongst the popula on. Indeed 84% of the new arrivals are women and chil- dren , including 186 students who had intended to sit their exams in the coming weeks —the opera on is looking into what alterna ve arrangements could be made so that these young refugees’ educa on suffers minimum disrup on.
A new camp in Rwanda In a recent welcome development, the Government of Rwanda has now allocated a plot of land to host the new arrivals, in Kigeme , Nyamagabe District, Southern Province. The site had previously been used for Burundi- an refugees un l June 2009. This will help decongest the overstretched Transit Centre, whilst reducing the risks associated with remaining near the border. Clashes over the border in North Kivu have not yet abated, and those who have sought refuge here in Rwanda face an uncertain future. © Anouck© / Bronée UNHCR Newly arrived Congolese refugees wait for distribu on of food and core relief items at Nkamira Transit Centre
2 Refugee Bulletin March - May 2012
Newsflash » We are pleased to announce that the third and final phase of the re-registra on exercise is now complete in all three camps and in Kigali. The final sta s cs will be compiled by mid -June and shared with all stakeholders.
BPRM visit to UNHCR Rwanda
Bryan Lupton is the new Great Lakes Programme Officer at the Bureau for Popula on, Refugees and Migra on, based in Washington, D.C. Bryan came to Rwanda in May with a view to familiarise with the key opera onal issues and challenges faced by UNHCR Rwanda. His 4-day tour first took him to Nkamira Transit Centre where he visited the structures in place for new arrivals from DRC and met with the Repre- senta ve and Head of Emergency mission. He also visited
Kiziba camp, where he was given a tour of the facili es by Anouck© / Bronée UNHCR both UNHCR and its Partner ARC. At the end of the last leg Bryan Lupton at Nkamira Transit Centre, speaking to of his visit in Gihembe camp, Bryan shared his thoughts on UNHCR Field Officer Roda Ismael Aden. his first visit to the region: “BPRM and the United States are very happy to support humanitarian assistance for refugees in Rwanda. We recognize that Rwanda, UNHCR, and NGO partners are faced with a number of challenges that come along with both a protracted refugee situa on and in trying to respond to a new influx of refugees from the DRC. I’m grateful for having had the opportunity to visit and to see first-hand the humanitarian efforts underway.”
Brazilian visit to Gihembe camp
On March 6 th , two officials from the Government of Brazil made an unofficial visit to Gihembe camp in order to familiarise with our UNHCR Opera on in light of the recent dona on made by the Brazilian Government to UN- HCR Rwanda. During their tour of Gihembe, Beto Vasconcelos and João Resende visited the health centre and toured the income-genera ng ac vi es where refugees learn to develop skills such as carpentry, sewing, wood- carving, music and baking. They also toured one of the primary school buildings.
The highlight of their visit was taking part in an economics class at Hope School, a community-based school en rely funded by refugees themselves.* Mr Vasconcelos and Mr Resende sat in during the class, and Beto Vaconcelos, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Brazilian presidency, said of his me there,
UNHCR’s work shows everybody the “need for a en on to people all around the world who, despite living in poverty and great human fragility, away from their tradi onal land and na on, s ll preserve in their spontaneous smile a surprising light of hope. ”
Brazil is among the top 15 donors contrib- u ng to UNHCR’s global budget. In 2012, US$ 100,000 from their US$4 million dona- on to UNHCR was allocated to the Rwanda © Anouck© / Bronée UNHCR Opera on. To conclude their visit, Beto and João write a note for the Hope School teachers, alongside Chantal Uwimpuhwe, UNHCR Senior Field Assistant.
* For more informa on about Hope School see issue no. 4 of the Refugee Bulle n. 3 Refugee Bulletin March - May 2012
Living as a refugee with a disability
Freedom of movement is an issue close to the Erick© GerstnerUNHCR / heart of refugees the world over: nobody chooses to flee their homes; and for the tens of thousands of Congolese refugees living in Rwanda, travelling back home again remains a distant dream. Imag- ine then, that on top of this lack of control over your own path in life, you were all but confined to one small corner of the refugee camp .
This is the case for Ms Nyirakamodokah Nyira- habimana, 54, whose last ou ng from her family’s shelter in Gihembe camp was seven days ago. Nyirakamodokah is almost deaf, and has been Ms Nyirahabimana outside her house in Gihembe camp effec vely immobile from the waist down for the last five years, owing to tumours on her body and legs. Three years spent in hospital did not succeed in revealing the cause of the disability, so she gave up seeking treatment there. Now it is her 22 year-old daughter, Yvonne, who acts as her full- me carer. Sadly, Yvonne dropped out of school when she was in P6 in order to take care of her mother .
Nyirakamodokah spends most of her days si ng in front of the cramped shelter she shares with her two children: even for Gihembe camp, where unemployment is the norm and recrea onal op ons slim, the monotony is depressing . “I last le my house one week ago,” she recounts, “to visit the GBV centre.” She walks bent double, with the aid of a s ck. This arduous round trip, which she makes unaccompanied, brings a li le support to the family in terms of soap and other items to assist those refugees deemed ‘vulnerable,’ a term belying her resilience and stoicism in the face of life’s obstacles.
Clarisse Muraza, aged just 12, faces similar challenges. Her legs became paralysed from the age of one, though the reason remains unclear. A er a successful opera on on both legs, Clarisse’s mobility has improved, though it remains par al – she uses wooden crutches to get about. Naviga ng the gullies and steep muddy trails which connect the houses and surround her hillside home in Gihem- be, however, is far from easy.
She is some mes obliged to miss school so that her single father can do some repairs on the crutches. Her favourite subject is English, however with four siblings to help look a er now that her mother le the family to find manual labour work in Kigali, she has li le me le over to study. Serious and quiet, as her siblings return home for lunch a er their morning at school, Clarisse twists the newly rein- forced p of her crutch into the mud – a gi from Ririma Hospital in Bugesera, it is clear they won’t last long for a growing teenage girl .
Refugees dealing with the consequences of a disability are all too o en kept in the dark when it comes to their future prospects, rein- forcing the sense of isola on and disempowerment they are subject to on a daily basis. No solu ons are easy: a wheelchair is en rely unsuitable for Gihembe camp’s uneven environment. Nyirakamodok- ah and Clarisse, although years apart, are living in the same quar er of the refugee camp, and are facing the same problems of mobility, independence, acceptance and integra on . However, they remain confined in their own existences, worlds apart from one another. © Erick Gerstner / UNHCR UNHCR / Gerstner Erick© Clarisse, a 12 year old schoolgirl from Gihembe
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The voice of refugee women: The President of Gihembe Women’s Commi ee speaks up
As she walks through Gihembe camp, Jus ne Baha ’s presence commands respect. Almost every passer-by stops and greets her – she exudes a calm dignity, belying her feisty a tude as she fields ques ons on what it means to be a woman living as a refu- gee. “ Womanhood is the same the world over ,” Baha points out, “whether you are a refugee or a Rwandan na onal, or whether you’re from another country. I can joke with and relate to any woman that visits Gihembe camp – our status, refugee or not, is the only difference between us.”
UNHCR’s partners in the camps conduct an -GBV mee ngs for men and women as a group, and separately. But Jus ne feels that holding these mee ngs separately is per- haps counterproduc ve in the long term. Women find it easy to share their problems with her, but even a husband and wife together can’t speak freely. “ They must be more confident and speak up, this change starts with women ,” she says. Women indeed s ll have a voice, she stresses, but despite the provisions of tradi onal cul- ture, more balance is needed, and this starts at home .
Another issue she wishes to highlight is that of safety in the camp. “Men are idle,” and this creates safety risks. She also raises the point, on behalf of all refugee wom- en, that the chronic shortage of sanitary products is par cularly challenging – women in the camp are cu ng up their own clothes to use as pads, and this is uncomforta- ble. © Erick© GerstnerUNHCR / Jus ne Baha , Gihembe Women’s Commi ee President The final concern Jus ne vents her feelings on is that of marriage documents. “As many of us fled Congo without any documents, some people have no proof that they’re legally married under Congolese law.” This causes many refugee men to remarry Rwandan women, leaving their official spouses behind to deal with their families alone. “ I urge UNHCR and the Rwandan Government to mobilize people living in the camps to get their legal marriage documents under Rwandan law – this is a simple and easy process that the Government has facilitated before, though few took up the offer.”
The other Jolie: An urgent fundraising appeal
As you read this, Jolie Nyirakaragire, a young Congolese refugee girl, is lying in hospital in the south of Rwanda, awai ng treatment for serious kidney failure. She must undergo painful dialysis three mes a week , the only thing doctors say can prevent her from dying at this stage. Watching over her in the crowded wards of Butare Hospital, where beds are back to back and families rest on the floor, are her two parents. They have had to leave their other children in Gihembe camp in order to come here with their daughter, giving up the safety net of the camp's food and shelter provisions.
The story of Jolie’s family takes yet another turn for the worse: her mother has just been diagnosed with a tumour in her breast, and is also struggling to pay for the required care. Indeed refugees in Rwanda cannot enrol in the mutuelle de santé health insurance scheme available to the country's
ci zens. Instead, they receive healthcare in the camps’ health centres. The lack of funds for excep- UNHCR© onal cases puts addi onal pressure on those caring for Jolie: her treatment must be consistent if Angelina Jolie, UNHCR it is to stabilise her chronic condi on. Medical experts cannot foresee how long this will take, so Special Envoy this young girl and her family live in constant uncertainty . Providing her basic lifesaving treatment costs upwards of US$ 980 per week, even before the required addi onal medicine and lab tests.
Jolie needs help, now. If this appeal is to be successful, we need to speak to all those who will listen. The recent appointment of Miss Nyirakaragire's namesake, Angelina Jolie, as UNHCR Special Envoy of the High Commissioner for Refugees throws a spot- light on the daily hardships experienced by millions of refugees worldwide. Yet in this Butare Hospital ward, it is private acts of generosity by individuals that will make a difference to one young girl.
Dona ons can be made into a newly created emergency fund set up to help refugees in Rwanda who are faced with life - threatening long -term illnesses: if you feel you can assist Jolie in this me of need, please contact the UNHCR External Rela- ons team as detailed at the end of this bulle n. We thank you.
5 Refugee Bulletin March - May 2012
Hygiene and the environment highlighted in Kiziba
On Tuesday 8th May, our Field Office in Kibuye welcomed a visit by the Minister for Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs, General Marcel Gatsinzi, alongside the UNHCR and WHO Rwanda Representa ves. The del- ega on was accompanied by high level dignitaries, including the Governor of the Western Province, the Mayor of Karongi District, and a representa- ve of the Armed Forces, Immigra on, the District Police, and the JRS Coun- try Director and ARC Camp Manager.
Despite heavy rainfall the night before, the group began their visit with an inspec on of a site next to the primary school buildings, in order to see the impact of recent landslides on the structure and safety of classrooms that are constructed on a terraced hillside. The Minister suggested that in- stalling gu ering around the roofs would collect and channel rainwater away from the site, mi ga ng further damage. The delega on was next welcomed to the Secondary School, where all the pupils had assembled in the courtyard to take part in a tree plan ng ceremony. This, the Minister noted, was not merely symbolic, but a concrete step towards improving the environment in the camp , par cularly as it helps bind the soil together, reducing erosion. The Minister encouraged refugees to mul ply this posi- ve impact by plan ng more trees, poin ng out the seed nursery in Kiziba. ©Gillian Helweg-Larsen UNHCR / The day was also marked by the official opening of new dischargeable la- Minister Gatsinzi plants a tree trines , a welcome dona on to the camp by Deseret Interna onal Chari es (DIC). A total of 14 latrine blocks have been completed, and there are tenta ve plans for a further 7 to be installed over the coming months. The DIC country directors, Brad and Karen Wilkes, expressed sa sfac on that the health, sanita on, and dignity of users will greatly improve thanks to these new strutures.
Sustainability was the cornerstone of the Minister’s address, as he reminded refugees of the need to stop cu ng trees outside the camp for firewood, and pointed to plans
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© © Gillian Helweg-Larsen / UNHCR UNHCR / Helweg-Larsen Gillian© © Erick© GerstnerUNHCR / The ARC Environment Officer, LDS Hygiene educator, and LDS Country Director outside A cultural troupe greets the delega on the new latrines.
6 Refugee Bulletin March - May 2012
UNHCR Rwanda launches annual Genocide Commemora on Service
On Friday 13 th April 2012, UNHCR staff in Kigali, Kibuye and Byumba began the morning with a service to commemorate 11 UNHCR colleagues and their © Laura © Parker / UNHCR families who lost their lives in the Rwandan genocide. This was the first such commemora on held by the Rwanda Opera on , complemen ng an inter -Agency service earlier in the week to honour all 63 fallen UN staff members in Rwanda. The inaugural event, at the end of the na onal memorial week, saw prayers and addresses read by both Rwandan and interna onal co-workers.
In line with the country-wide theme of this eighteenth remembrance period, speeches focussed on the no on of ‘learning from history to build a brighter future ,’ with the Representa ve, Ms Neimah Warsame, paying tribute in the Kigali service to the courage and perseverance of all those now working together for development and peace in Rwanda. Ms Warsame spoke of being struck by the dignified remembrance of the Rwandan people during the commemora on period, through their tes monies and songs of reconcilia on and hope, and reiterat- ed that as staff of the United Na ons, members of an interna onal community, and as individuals, we can stand together and say ‘ never again .’
The Kibuye Office’s service featured remarks delivered by the Chairperson of the UNHCR Rwanda Staff Associa on and the Head of Field Office, whilst Field Office Byumba’s speeches laid empha- sis on the commitment to ‘never again’ allow such a tragedy to take place. In all three events, the names of our eleven colleagues who lost their lives during the tragic events of 1994 were read out to those assembled, followed by a minute of silence . Plans to construct a memorial plaque to honour these staff were present- ed, in order to serve as a permanent reminder of the genocide, and to remind us all that never again must we allow such a history to be repeated. Rwandan staff members at the Branch Office sang the hymn Ni wowe Mugenga wanjye Yezu (‘It’s you, Jesus, my leader’), and the ceremony in Kigali ended with a endees placing a white rose at the foot of the list of fallen UNHCR colleagues and paying their personal respects.
© Laura Parker / UNHCR UNHCR / Parker Laura ©
1 refugee without hope is too many
7 Refugee Bulletin March - May 2012
Newsflash » World Refugee Day, 20th June, is almost upon us. UNHCR Rwanda is planning a photography exhibi- on , a Refugee Film Fes val , and a discussion panel on this year’s campaign theme: the dilemmas faced by those forced to flee their homes. Stay tuned for more informa on! Interview with photographer Erick Gerstner
Erick recently undertook an assignment in Gihembe and Nyabiheke camps in order to take image for an upcoming photography exhibi on which will form part of the World Refugee Day programme in Rwanda.
UNHCR Rwanda : What in par cular struck you by the camps in Rwanda, compared to other African refugee camps where you have worked?
EG : The Dadaab refugee camps near Kenya’s border with Somalia, have existed since 1991 and like in Rwanda, a large number of refugees were born in the camps and have never known any different, yet there is li le sign of permanent se lement there. Housing o en consists of s cks covered by plas c shee ng. Gihembe and Nyabiheke camps in Rwanda are set amidst the lush, green rolling hills of Rwanda. Despite being established more recently, the quality of housing is far superior and the houses have a feeling of permanency. What you realize, however, a er a few days in the Rwandan camps is that looks are not always what they seem. While housing is more permanent and of higher quality, houses are o en extremely small and refugees have to live in cramped quarters with households of up to 13 people in a ny space . During the rainy season, roofs o en develop small leaks causing huge issues with damp. The Rwandan camps are much less crowded and more manageable than the Dadaab camps, but life as a refugee anywhere is fraught with challenges , and Gihembe and Nyabiheke are certainly no excep ons.
UNHCR Rwanda : The photos you took aim to communicate the hardships faced by refugees and their resilience and dynamic re- sponses to their circumstances. What is it about the power of an image that makes it a successful tool for advocacy?
EG : Photographs capture a split-second, a flee ng moment in me. With photography you have the ability evoke emo on, to tell stories and to show the world how you saw and experienced this moment. It can bring the viewer into the scene and paint a picture of events in a way where words fall short. For example, Eddie Adams' photograph depic ng the murder of a Vietcong by Saigon Police Chief at point-blank range not only provides a telling insight into the reali es of war, but went a long way toward shaping public opinion toward the war. This is the power of photography, and in advocacy the same is true. I hope this exhibi on will give an insight into what life is like in the Rwandan camps, and show both the good and the bad, mo va ng people to get involved in whatever way they can to assist these refugees.
UNHCR Rwanda : What must you take into account in order to maintain sensi vity when photographing individuals?
EG : It is extremely important to maintain the dignity of your subject, something I try to do in all my work, espe- cially when it comes to working with refugees. I also make sure to always ask people’s permission first. While shoo ng in the camps, I was extremely fortunate to have UNHCR Senior Field Assistant Chantal Uwimpuhwe assis ng me. She was able to explain to the refugees exactly the purpose of the photographs and how they would be used. Most were happy to have their photo- graphs taken, but some refused and we respected that.
UNHCR Rwanda : What is it about the refugees that you meet that mo vates you to work for their cause?
EG : Refugees le their homes with very few of their earthly belongings, o en under the threat of immediate violence. Seeing their resilience , despite all the hard- ships they face, is truly inspiring to me. Also, the realiza- © Erick© GerstnerUNHCR / on that refugees are no different you or me, people A refugee boy shows Erick his football: s ll a work in progress, this is made with hopes and dreams wan ng to provide the best from string, wrapped many mes around a condom. future, opportuni es, and life for their family .
8 Refugee Bulletin March - May 2012
The uncertain future of Rwanda’s brightest refugees
Dynamic and well spoken, Benjamin Nzabalinda, the Presi- dent of the group of DAFI scholars in Rwanda writes “Of course I am seeking a job. I am not comfortable now as I have my degree without using it . I am frankly a hard- working man, I don’t like spending my me doing nothing.” Benjamin echoes the sen ments expressed by most of his fellow DAFI scholars – the group of Congolese refugees who have completed ter ary educa on thanks to a grant from the Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Ini a ve Fund (DAFI), funded by the Federal Government of Germany. The purpose of the DAFI Programme is “to contribute to the self- reliance of refugees by providing them with a professional qualifica on for future employment.” The recent cohort of Congolese DAFI graduates in Rwanda have just completed their studies in areas as diverse as medicine, literature, man- agement and law. They have burning ambi ons . “As a clini- cal psychologist, I now have many skills to help people
around the world that have experienced war, and other psy- Erick© GerstnerUNHCR / chosocial problems which affect their mental health, par cu- larly refugees,” says Prosper Ndayisaba, from Gihembe Vedaste Habinshu , Law graduate and jobseeker, Gihembe camp camp. “Today however, as a refugee, I am unable to find a job, ” as despite their equality under Rwandan law, in prac- ce Rwandan ci zens are given jobs more readily than refugees living in the country. Indeed Faus n Nkuriyingoma adds that “there is even a huge number of na onals who are unemployed.” This is the prevailing reality which refugees have to face, despite living like other Rwandan students for four years, building up their skills and preparing for the transi on to professional careers.
That they may have obtained the highest marks, like Charles Munyageri, who received dis nc on in his Economics degree, means li le in the real world. All the scholars point to the fact that they must go an extra mile and prove themselves twice as much in or- der to compete with other degree-holders on the job market – they need experience through internships, and they yearn to con- nue their studies to Master’s level. Yet with no electricity now they are back home in the camps, somewhat cut off from the job search given the difficul es of accessing and affording the internet, even unpaid internships are hard to come by.
For some, the difficul es associated with being a refugee melted into insignificance for four short years as integra on with their na onal peers came about naturally. “At university, there was no difference between us and the other Rwandan students,” states Fidele Komezusenge, who studied hor culture and crop produc on at the Na onal University of Rwanda. He dreams of “being a peacemaker and figh ng hunger.” His fellow scholar, Soil and Environment Management graduate Jus n Gashema agrees – “university gave us life experience, par cularly of working in a group and living in an external community.” Nevertheless, others had a different experience. For Benjamin, “being a refugee in a crowd of students was like a shame. Once it is known you are from the camp, nega ve amusements were expressed against you and you can’t feel comfortable with that. I remember that he who was always studying hard was said to study like a refugee. Some mes I was told these words by people who were not even aware of my status, when they realized that I liked reading a lot.” These prejudices notwithstanding, he states that “my colleagues and I really enjoyed our me at the best university in Rwanda.” Alongside his transla on and interpreta on studies, he enrolled in the students’ Congolese Diaspora Associa on, “helping remember our na ve country and reviving our culture.” “I am now struggling to find even an unpaid internship that will keep my mind fresh,” says Benjamin, who hopes to one day assist with Congo’s development as an interpreter. Vedaste Habinshu , who studied law thanks to the DAFI programme, was a member of the university’s Law Students’ Associa on as his extracurricular, a group which gave pro-bono legal advice, thereby bolstering his CV.
Upon gradua on however, while his classmates went on to put their skills into prac ce and start their careers, the reality of being a refugee in a country where employment is not easily available has hit home hard. Mo va on, energy and hope marks the outlook of most DAFI scholars now, however me is cking, and frustra on with their paralysing lack of prospects is beginning to set in. Speaking on behalf of the graduates, Fidele states “we request that UNHCR advocates to its partners, and to other organisa ons, to help us in our job search and professional development, so that we can leave the miserable condi ons in the camps,” capitalising on what they have learned and achieved through DAFI.
Qualified graduates for hire! » If you or anyone you know is interested in offering an internship to a DAFI scholar in Rwanda, or could lend professional networking assistance, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the
External Rela ons team, as detailed at the end of this Bulle n. This is one small ac on that could go a long way to improve a refugee’s life. 9 Refugee Bulletin March - May 2012
STORIES FROM OUR PARTNERS Delivering as One
Refugee parents praise new Early
Child Development Centres By Cyriaque Ngoboka and Glenn Jusnes, UNICEF
Almost 20,000 Congolese refugees live in Gihembe camp, established in 1997. Today, 12,000 of the camp residents are under the age of 18 . While many of the older children
© Glenn Jusnes / UNICEF UNICEF / Jusnes Glenn© a end school, those under six have not had any exposure to early learning or s mula on. Since Septem- ber 2011, however, thanks to UNICEF, UNHCR and AVSI (an interna onal NGO that works on children’s issues), the parents of some 2,000 children now send their children to Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centres. Here, children five years and younger play, sing and interact with other kids – all of which are important aspects of healthy early childhood development.
ECD is an approach to help children (under the age of six) develop their full cogni ve, emo onal, social and physical poten al. A child who benefits from ECD is physically healthy, mentally alert, emo onally sound, socially competent and ready to learn. ECD ma ers because most of our basic brain connec ons are laid down before birth, and the environments in which we grow up influence the brain’s architecture and strongly affect whether children grow up to be healthy and produc ve members of society.
Poor and disadvantaged children are o en less likely to benefit from comprehensive ECD interven ons that include early developmen- tal s mula on, good health, adequate nutri on and safety. And yet evalua ons of quality ECD programs around the world demon- strate that investments in ECD are among the most cost -effec ve investments a country can make. Quality ECD programs substan- ally improve children’s chances of survival by breaking the inter-genera onal cycle of poverty and ac ng as a great social and eco- nomic equalizer.
In a situa on like Gihembe, such interven ons are even more important . Olive Nyirazaninka, a mother of seven, is pleased to see her four-year-old daughter Soleil Masengesho a end the ECD programme. “I have been in this camp since 2007. Life here is difficult and there are many risks, especially for young children,” she explains. “But thanks to this joint interven on, our children are now in a pro- tected environment during the day, where they learn to play together and make new friends,” Olive says.
UNICEF works through AVSI in Gihembe Camp to train willing female refugees to serve as ECD facilitators in the centres. And in collab- ora on with UNHCR, who runs this camp, the organisa ons are also helping to put in place a child protec on network so that cases of violence against children can be prevented. Pierre Buduguri, is happy to send his four-year-old daughter Josiane to the ECD Centre. “Children le on their own some mes slip and fall or can even contract diseases from playing in contaminated mud. Now they are taken care of by trained adults during the day.”
“This is just the beginning,” says UNICEF Child Protec on Officer, Mari Aasgaard. “A lot more needs to be done to build a pro- tec ve environment where chil- dren can be safe and thrive. Child Friendly Spaces and a mentoring system that provides psycho-social care for vulnera- ble and abused children will be par cularly important, but at least for now children are in a UNICEF / Jusnes Glenn© Congolese refugee children benefit from an Early Child Development Centre space meant just for them .”
10 Refugee Bulletin March - May 2012
A UN Volunteer’s viewpoint By Jackie Kayitesi, Associate Monitoring Officer, UNV
© Anouck© / Bronée UNHCR Jackie in ac on, Nkamira Transit Centre, where in addi on to her role as Monitoring Officer, she has been heavily involved in the emergency response in Gisenyi, Rubavu District.
Leaving my home in Kigali, yearning to work hard to change the fortunes of others, I headed for the challenge“ of a life me as an Associate Returnee Monitoring Officer at UNHCR’s Antenna Office in Gisenyi, in the Western Province. I was confident that my technical proficiency and self -mo va on would help me adapt to this new environment. By mee ng so many returnees, and hearing their tes monies, challenges and dreams, I have been mo vated to work even harder, enjoying every single bit of my work at UNHCR.
Because I am accustomed to travel and reloca on, working in the beau ful hills amongst the green scenery inhabited by welcoming people has been my best adventure. Not even the rough terrain and at mes really bad roads and weather will dissuade me from hearing the heart-wrenching stories told to me by innocent women and children every day in the course of their repatria on to Rwanda and during my monitoring vis- its.
By giving them food and non-food items, reuni ng families and providing a shoulder to lean on at the re- cep on centre, I derive sa sfac on and reinforce my drive to work to make a difference in these peoples’ lives. Regular monitoring visits to those whom I have helped fully integrate into the community makes me feel like I too have paid a visit back home. When I face the daily challenges of my role, I try to adapt to these new situa ons, inspired by the saying “even fish know that you must swim against the water currents lest you get washed away.”
My dream is to have all Rwandan refugees return, and my message to them is this: Come, let’s build home together. ”
11 Photo Gallery: Nkamira Transit Centre
Bath me can be miserable the world over! © Anouck© / Bronée UNHCR Grass cut from around the Transit Centre for a makeshi ma ress inside a disused factory © Anouck© / Bronée UNHCR
Making use of all available space, clothes dry slowly in this cold damp climate © Anouck© / Bronée UNHCR © Anouck© / Bronée UNHCR Congolese refugees reunited upon arrival in Rwanda
Searching for a name on the distribu on list for food The UNHCR Representa ve and Protec on Officer, and the President of the refugee community at Nkamira, address women’s issues with new arrivals and core relief items © Anouck© / Bronée UNHCR © Anouck© / Bronée UNHCR More images and updates are posted regularly to the Displaced World blog: h p://anoucks -displaced-world.blogspot.com
For more informa on please contact: UNHCR Rwanda has
officially joined the Anouck Bronée twi ersphere! External Rela ons Officer UNHCR Rwanda You can follow what we’re up to [email protected] @RefugeesRwanda + 250 (0) 78 830 2705 @anouckbronee