Refugee Camp and the Lake, Our Last Weekend Hurrah

Cooking Chippies
Beach "Bums"
At the Refugee Camp

On Friday we visited the Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Malawi. This camp has refugees from 10 African nations, but most are from Rwanda or Congo. There are a total of 11,000 people living in the camp. Upon arrival the camp was not what I had expected or imagined in my head. I guess I have seen too many movies. There were no gates keeping the refugees inside the camp. When I inquired why this was I was saddened by the answer that , “no the refugees cannot leave the camp, but there are no gates because the people have nowhere to go.” I guess this makes sense. If they had access to live somewhere else, to get a job, or family members somewhere to help them they would not have ever come to the camp in the first place. There was not a vast difference in the houses in the camp compared to those in the villages. But what did strike me was how closed in the camp felt. There were buildings everywhere you looked. Many were almost attached reminding me of row house. You could literally stick your head out one window and reach into your neighbor’s home. The children played in the dusty streets between the homes. What struck me most was the lack of any vegetation or green life. The entire time we were there I saw one small tree. It lent to a feeling of hopelessness. Everything was brown and covered in dust. The kids were dirtier than we have seen in any camp. I know that the villagers live hard lives, but these people have witnessed horrors, and have ran away from their countries in fear of their lives. Now many of them are almost in a state of limbo. They cannot go home because of wars, and ruins but there is not anything for them in Malawi.

I was happy to get to talk to one of the teachers at the refugee camp school. There is only 1 school in the entire camp. There are 4,000 students enrolled in the primary (elementary and middle) school and 350 in the secondary (high) school. The man I talked to was named James. He was one of the few refugees who worked at the school. Most of the 52 teachers are from Malawi. The reason being they teach the Malawian curriculum and it is in English. Most of the refugees speak either French or Swahili. So not only are the schools extremely over enrolled, but the kids do not even speak the language they are being taught in. The school is run and funded by the Jesuit Church but James said that there were very few supplies. I am greatly saddened by the number of students that continue from primary to secondary school. Based on the enrollment numbers there are about 500 kids in each grade for primary school and only 80 or so in secondary. I hate to see these kids not receiving an education, but also wonder what they must be doing instead of going to school in the camp. In many of the villages students leave school because of money, this school is paid for, or to help with crops but there is little farming to be done in the camp. I wonder if that many more are needed at home because of illness of parents or if it is just a lack of interest. I got James’ e-mail address and he wanted mine as well. He has a family of 4. Three of his children were born outside of the camp, but his youngest daughter at the age of 3 has never been outside its walls.

I enjoy meeting people in his country. I know they all want to stay in contact and become “friends” which to most of them means a monetary relationship. I wish there was more I could do. More we could do to help. I would like to continue building these relationships because I feel that the work that is being done is very important. This was evident when we were working with the refugees groups. We conducted small group discussions and education sessions about HIV and AIDS. Although the day was enjoyable and there is a great need for us to be there, it was one of the more frustrating teaching experiences since I have been here. We were told to start with a quick review of transmission and prevention, but most of the people in the group did not know any of the basics. The condom demo was difficult, after we passed them all out 5-10 people said they did not get any, which they did. Looking on the positive side, they were taking the condoms to hopefully use them and keep safe. The discussion about stigma and misconceptions was very difficult. We had never met any of the people before. they had no reason to trust our answers over information they had heard from friends and neighbors within the camp and they did not believe or told stories to contradict much of what we said. This was the second time World Camp has been to Dzaleka, and I hope they go again because I see a great need for the people there.

After we left the camp we drove to Lake Malawi which some call the Calendar Lake because it is 365 miles from top to bottom. The lake was really pretty and looked more like an ocean. It was immediately evident while driving through the village on our way to the camp area that living in an area with tourists effects the level of poverty. The people were still poor, but there were things like glass in windows and doors on homes. Things that sadly many villages lack. We got to watch a soccer game for young men. Most of them play barefoot, but my favorite was one boy who wore one cleat on his kicking foot. They played in sand which must be exhausting to run in. I also got to experience my favorite village food. These are called samosas. The ones I like the best are potato filled. They are made from a product similar to phyllo dough and something, rice, meat potato, is wrapped inside before being fried. They are eaten in about 3 bites and sell for about 10-20 kwacha each, about 15 cents. They also sell fried dough, like large doughnut holes and chippies, french fries that are delicious if cooked extra crispy and covered in a spicy pepper relish or tomato sauce. One of the best things about being at the lake was walking through the village. I have not had a chance to do that even though we drive by the village markets on the way to camps we are too busy ever to stop at them. Each person has a small stand and sells fruits, veggies, buckets, fabric and little baggies of oil. The grossest is the fish and meat markets. The fish are all just dried on the tables with flies buzzing around them and the dead goats and pigs are skinned and hang from ceilings. Believe me, I have not have meat cravings in Africa!!!

We mostly spent a relaxing two days at the beach. We talked to other travelers, sat on the beach or in comfy chairs and read. Both mornings I got up around 6 and went to the chairs by the beach with my sleeping bag and slept there. We also watched the locals bath, wash clothes and play in the surf.