Arriving in Kakuma

July 14th, 2008

Kakuma Refugee Camp in northern Kenya. (Julia Keech Photo)

Yesterday, we arrived in the Kakuma Refugee camp. As I sit here and write that sentence, the reality of it all still seems difficult to believe. We took a 20-seater UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees) plane that departed from a small military airport in Nairobi at 7 a.m. and we landed directly within the camp at about 8:30 a.m. Approximately 1,000 kilometres north-west of Nairobi, Kakuma is situated just 100 kilometres from the Ugandan and Sudanese borders.

Minutes before landing, we descended in height, from beneath the white fluffy clouds and I was able to peer out my tiny window and look down upon the harsh, dry landscape. At such an altitude, I was able to see an incredible aerial view of the red earth and sharp peaked mountains that protruded from the arid land. Then suddenly, large pockets of small dwellings began to appear in the distance, sprawling out across this sandy “nowhere.” I was simply overwhelmed by the size of the camp. This was it, I told myself. This is Kakuma—home to over 53,000 refugees, one of the largest refugee camps in the world. I suddenly became engulfed in a whirlwind of emotions. I was occupied with thoughts of past sponsored students who came to Dalhousie from Kakuma and who I have come to know so well over the years. The inspiring stories of their journey to this place and the kind of hardships they faced while living here struck me deep within. Kakuma had been their home for so many years and here I find myself directly over the top of it and about to embark on an experience I will never forget.

When the plane landed local villagers came and gathered by the barbed wire fence to observe their new visitors. The children seemed to be most interested; they stared intently but remained silent as we unloaded our luggage from the plane and headed to our vehicle.
On our way to the UNHCR compound, we passed through Kakuma town, a small stretch of businesses and shops located just outside the camp. Even though the town is independent from the camp, it has grown tremendously since it opened in 1992 as it is mainly supported by the refugees. The local population, known as the Turkana, are seen widely throughout the area tending to their livestock.  I later learned that nomadism is a dominant way of life for many of these people and, despite much of the economic, educational and health service growth in the area due, the Turkana district is one of the poorest regions in the country with 60 per cent of the local population living below the poverty line.

As we drove through the camp, I immediately noticed the Turkana women as they have a very distinct, striking look. They are adorned with brightly coloured, beaded jewellery all around their necks and wrists. Their heads are shaved except for a small patch of hair in the centre of their head that is usually in tiny braids.

Camp Kakuma is sprawled out across a 25-kilometre radius and divided into different geographic and ethnic sections:  Kakuma 1, 2, 3, 4 and I believe Kakuma 5 has been abandoned since the Southern Sudanese are being repatriated to their home country. Nonetheless, the Sudanese still make up the largest percentage of the population within the camp, followed by the Somali, Ethiopian, Congolese, Rwandan, Ugandan and Burundi refugees.

Some of the areas are more populated and commercially developed than others, but the Ethiopian community is by far the most economically successful. The road into the community is lined with small service shops, restaurants and stores carrying everything from electronics to photo finishing to toys to clothing. I was, to say the least, quite surprised and very impressed!
But as I thought more about it, this made a lot of sense. Many of these people have been living in Kakuma for up to 18 years now, some for their entire lives. The strength and resilience of the human spirit shone through the smiles and joyful greetings of the local refugees as we drove by.  It was truly remarkable and so utterly inspiring to witness such hope and perseverance especially given what these people have been through and continue to overcome day after day, year after year.
 
Dalhousie student Julia Keech was one of eight students chosen from across Canada to participate in the World University Service of Canada’s (WUSC) Refugee Study Seminar in the Kakuma Refugee Camp this summer. While in Africa, Julia kept a journal detailing her experience in the refugee camp, located in the northwest region of Kenya.