Liberian Refugee Camp

Sooo ...

The power went out this morning and proceeded to stay out for the next 7 hours. I was going to stay-in and have a relaxing day in my room … but with no power, it gets hot ( due to the fact that there is no electric fans running in our rooms) and thus there is practically nothing to do.

So a group of 24 students decided they wanted to go and visit a Liberian Refugee camp. It was about a hour and half away and contrary to belief is still in Ghana and NOT Liberia. There was a large war in Liberia which has since ended but numerous people would flood to Ghana to escape the violent conditions.

We took Tro- Tros the whole ride there. Tro- Tros are these large van like vehicles that multiple people pile into and are packed (but comfortably) that go to main part of town at a VERY cheap price. We only paid 1.30 cedi for an hour and half drive there… so about 3 cedi round trip.

When we arrived I expected conditions to be like they are shown on T.V. and in the movies (like tents set up everywhere and people begging for help). To my surprise it was the complete opposite. People had been there a long enough time that they actually had houses; or at least what they call houses we would call “shacks” and a lot of local Ghanaians have moved in. Their reason for the recent rise in Ghanaians in the refugee camp is that the Ghanaians pay for the houses and that way the Liberian refugees have actual money in their hands. Otherwise it was practically a little village.

I had met one lady who had come to Ghana in flee of Liberia in 1990. She stayed for ten years but in 2000 went back to Liberia. She stayed there for 5 years but found it incredibly hard to get back into the system. So she left Liberia to return to her 3 children in Ghana and now runs the refugee woman’s empowerment portion of the camp. She says her home and people need her here.

So we got to see their office central office. In the office there were 12 sewing machines in which the Liberian refugee women make purses and learn to make dresses. They offer free classes to all the woman and there are 32 women in the camp and they are in need of more sewing machines (which run about 80 cedi for one sewing machine).

They also offer scholarships to the refugee children, along with a woman empowerment group that is also being run at the camp. After the tour we stayed, had lunch, and played with some of the children. On the way back the Tro –Tro was again packed and it was a very loooong hot and sweaty ride home.

We arrived back and to my surprise had power back! I took the most amazing shower (which is my favorite part of the day).

I ended the day with a sausage shish –kabob and a mango.

Tomorrow I have no class so I am headed to a school that needs help teaching the children English and is 10 minute ride away from campus on a Tro-Tro.

I can’t wait to have more details soon.

Hope everyone is doing well. Miss you all!!

~Stacie~