KAKUMA REFUGEE CAMP, KENYA

Sabina Itubo stares into the distance paying no attention to what is going on around her. A few hours ago, accompanied by her three children ages six, four and three, she arrived at the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. Her husband was killed when their southern Sudan village was bombed.

Sabina and her children journeyed through the stony desert of southern Sudan to the northwest Kenyan border – a journey which lasted nine days with temperatures as high as 100 degrees and with hardly anything to eat or drink for either Sabina or the children.

The LWF was there when Sabina arrived at the camp. We provided the immediate basic necessities for the family. Within a few days they will move from the reception center to a hut of their own. They have already been given some cooking utensils and enough blankets for the whole family. Food, while basic, will be provided. The six year old will be in school within the month. Sabina will be able to choose an income-generating activity to meet daily expenses. For the first time in a long time, they can feel secure and begin to hope for the future. Through the LWF, you are present as a lifeline of hope at Kakuma Camp.

The children at Kakuma Camp have seen some of the most difficult of life’s situations. Many have lost parents and siblings in civil war, they have lost their home and all security. One of the projects of the LWF is the Reception Center where all new families first come when they arrive at the camp. Families stay in the Reception Center until adequate housing is found in the camp. Bringing smiles to the children’s faces is one of the goals.

The sun cast a luminous golden sheen on the sandy soil on the bright and already warm September morning. The shimmering air was expectant with the increased and unfamiliar activities in preparation for the day ahead. The children came in droves – their faces alight in anticipation. They were clothed in an abundance of color, their skin boasting every shade of brown, their height from the very small to the tall.

A whistle blew announcing the start of this special day, devoted to the children of the Kakuma Refugee Camp Reception Center. The invitation, also extended to the children of the camp who live nearby, was gleefully accepted and they too came to play and make friends with their new neighbors.

A carpet was laid, and the children began to draw and color, cut and paste, using material brought by the LWF. LWF staff helped as the children created drawing of every kind – cars, churches, guns, schools, flowers, and footballs. Some were cutting and pasting paper shapes, some created pictures using leaves and sand.

Cheers and laughter rang out as the children tried the Limbo, and played pass-the-orange. They skipped with ropes and played ball. A crowd of onlookers gathered to cheer and encourage the children who were smiling and having fun. They were just being children. The day ended with tea and sweets for each of the 68 children.

A small effort. A huge difference in these little lives.