After a long and arduous journey, Kadjosi Mzaliwa, his cousin, his step sister and her baby daughter find food and shelter at the UNHCR station.
Being Welcomed as Refugees
As we were being escorted with that woman to the UNHCR Gate, our hearts were full of fear, exhaustion, and the pain of a long journey of suffering. But when we arrived there, we were received with a calmness we had not seen in a very long time. The air felt peaceful, safe, as if it was whispering, “The end of suffering is near.”
After a short while, a worker approached us with a smile. He gently asked for our names, wrote them down, and then left. We could not believe our eyes when he returned carrying cold water. When we drank it, we felt our hearts relax for the first time since all this had begun. A few minutes later, we were given bread and milk. We ate and drank with tears of joy in our eyes, feeling a new hope beginning to grow within us. For a moment, we forgot the pain. We were free. Truly, before that moment, it felt as though our lives were coming to an end, one of us could have died before the other. But that day, we received a sign that God was still fighting for us.
Becoming Official Refugees
After about an hour, a vehicle drove in. our names were called, and we were told to get inside. As we began to leave that place, we looked at each other nervously: “Why are they taking us away? Are we being returned to suffering again?” But we encouraged ourselves. The kindness we had witnessed there gave us the strength to believe we were in the hands of good people.
After about twenty minutes, the vehicle drove us into another beautiful station. We were directed to a place where detailed information was taken from us, then shown to our resting room. We stood at the door in amazement. There were two clean beds, soft sheets, towels, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and other items.
We were shown the bathing area, the toilet, the resting area, and even a place where we could watch news on TV. We were gently told: “The first thing is to take a shower. Then come for food, and afterward you can rest.” We found ourselves smiling uncontrollably. We saw a life different from what we were used to. We saw dignity, a new beginning. A great hope began to grow inside us. We stayed there for a whole month. We were given good meals three times a day, and our bodies began to regain strength. Our health improved, and we could even smile again.
A Guilty Comfort
But even in that comfort, my thoughts kept returning to my father day and night. Whenever I lifted a plate full of good food, suddenly my father’s face would appear in my mind, and I would ask myself: Where is my father now? Is he alive or dead? Is he suffering or has he been released? What about my mother? My siblings?
These questions overwhelmed me so deeply that sometimes I could not eat. I would place the plate aside and go cry quietly until sleep took me. It reached a point where I wished to return home and surrender myself, so that maybe my father could be set free. Because it felt unfair for me to eat warm meals while my family suffered. But I had no power to do anything. I had to accept it.
After one month, a vehicle arrived. We were called to board. We entered together with others we had found there. The journey began, and finally we were taken to Kakuma Refugee Camp, a place where a new chapter of our lives would begin.
Image by Lior Sperandeo, The Forward
The Current Situation
Families in Kakuma Refugee Camp still face a devastating food crisis. Due to funding cuts, thousands—including children, the elderly, and pregnant women—receive little to no food assistance. For DES, this has meant distributing food purchased with your donations. More recently, it has meant that volunteers have had to quit to find ways to survive and feed their families. Learn more about the important services these women and men provide in their community here.
Your support will go a long way toward helping Kadjosi and the DES team continue their activities in the Camp. To donate, please click here.