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- Also available in French
GNA Zambia: Refugee views
Global Needs Assessment, 9 October 2008
I came to Kala camp from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2001 because of the war that broke out about three years earlier. I fled alone as an unaccompanied minor; at that time I was only 16 years old. Life in the camp has been less unbearable in comparison with Congo. In the camp, I have access to UNHCR assistance and receive food rations on a regular basis. This keeps me going.
Although education is free in the camp, I do not really have an interest in education. I dropped out of school in Grade 5 and have never reconsidered my decision. I would say my lack of family support has been the major contributing factor in my lack of interest in school. I just had to find time to raise extra income to sustain my life; and for other necessities such as clothes. I spend most of my time doing casual work and as a peddler selling sardines from the neighbouring district.
On the question of repatriation, I have not yet made up my mind to repatriate. I am afraid war may break out again. I would rather wait a while and see what happens.
John Numbe, 21, refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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I came to Kala camp from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2002 together with my parents. I am a Grade 6 student at the secondary school. I must admit that the only benefit from living as a refugee has been free education. Life is better in Mpweto in the DRC where I come from. The only problem has been war.
Both of my parents are unemployed. This makes life very difficult for me in the camp since I do not have access to a lot of necessities that a young man like me would love to have. My family lives entirely on UNHCR assistance. It has been difficult for my parents to sustain the lives of eight children in the camp.
On the question of repatriation, I have registered to repatriate this month.
Frederick Mulolo, 15, refugee from DRC, Kala camp, northern Zambia
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I arrived in Kala camp as a refugee on 1 March, 2001 from Mwange village in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. My first husband was killed during the war in DRC before I fled with my two children. I remarried in Kala camp in 2006 and I am now a mother of five children.
Both my husband and I are unemployed so we entirely depend on UNHCR assistance and the food rations we receive from the World Food Programme. I must mention that the food quantities we receive have never been enough. On average we have two meals a day, but this is usually reduced to one meal a day when we notice that the food is running out before the next distribution.
My husband is a skilled woodcutter. Sometimes we have a boost in our household food when my husband manages to sell his timber. I must say, life in a refugee camp is not very different from what we used to go through in DRC. For instance, even back home in DRC, we still needed to work hard to sustain our lives as a family.
The only consolation is that at least all my children have access to free medical services and free education in the camp. Secondly, opportunities for skills training and adult education are available in the camp. I just haven't had the time to access such services since I have the huge burden of caring for my family when my husband is away in the forest, as you may have noticed.
On the question of repatriation, I am still waiting for my husband to make a decision when to repatriate – probably in 2009.
Sawila Kabunda arrived with her two children in Kala camp in Zambia in 2001, fleeing the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in which her husband died.
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