IDP's part I

2 of October, 2009
The end of 2007 brought with it the re-election of Kenya's president as well as a violence that killed thousands of people and displaced hundreds of thousands more. Homes and villages were burned to the ground as war broke out among the tribes pitting Kenyan against Kenyan. The result of this havoc are the Internationally Displaced Persons Camps. For the last two years over 600,000 men, women, and children have lived in these camps, forgotten by their government, and largely ignored by the global community. Once proud land owners, with homes and business have been reduced to scrapping out a living in Kenya's countryside living in tents provided by the UN refugee services that are now weather worn and falling apart. They are struggling to bring some semblance of normalcy to the lives of their family but without success as promise after promise from their government goes unfulfilled and unheeded.
I had the opportunity of visiting two such camps earlier this month. The two were very different. Mburuku is a small camp of 240 families- approx 1000 people that is in somewhat of a wasteland. It is a place covered in dirt where very little vegetation exists. It is largely untouched by rain, as most of Kenya now is and the winds that sweep across it are harsh making it next to impossible to stand outside let alone play or visit. For this reason, most of the adults stay in their tents. In fact, it seemed to be a community of only children as their parents sought the shelters of their "homes". There is a distinct air of despair through much of the camp, there is literally nothing to do. Men sit outside a tent and do not move all day, unable to work and provide for their families. Children run around bare foot and dusty (the "dust babies" we call them, and for obvious reason) uneducated but sweet in the innocence and naivety of their situation in life. These are the children that we spent the day with. Chasing, laughing, blowing bubbles, handing out stickers and cookies and musical instruments (that I'm sure their parents loved) singing songs and becoming just as dirty as them. The difference was, I would go home and take a hot shower (as long as there was electricity) whereas they would not wash because there was no water for it. I had a fantastic time playing with these fun loving children and am grateful for the opportunity to be able to spend a few hours with them.
The second camp was quite different and miles ahead in progress. Pipeline has a medical clinic, albeit poorly stocked, water tanks, toilets and 5 times as many people. Its amazing what a simple thing like water, something that we take so for granted, can do for a community. The air in Pipline just felt different. There was so much more hope. We didnt stay long as we had a long drive home ahead of us, but were treated to a tour of the camp which is considerably larger and more advanced than mburuku. The people there have all been allotted a plot of land and where theri tents currently are GVN (the organization that i came out with) is providing the materials to build each family a house of stone. The government has promised to provide beams and tin for the roof of each house--so far all of them are roofless. It was good to see that there can be hope in the IDP camps, and that with some help and a lot of hard work the children of Mburuku can have a better life, and return somewhat to normal. I am looking forward to getting to spend more time with them in the future.