“FAR FROM HOME: The 13 worst refugee crises for girls.” Part 4
STORY 10
South Sudan to Uganda: Three girls in search of
survival and school
In the heat of the day, Lillian, Scobia and Viola help each
other carry large, heavy pieces of wood from a collection point to the
temporary shelter they are trying to make into a home at Imvepi refugee
settlement in Uganda. They’ve been sharing a latrine with neighbors with no
place to shower, so today, they are building their own bathroom on their land. The
girls, now 17 years old, are from the same village in South Sudan. Most of the
fledgling nation is in the grip of a humanitarian crisis fueled by years of
chronic underdevelopment, conflict and natural disasters. The three girls fled
to Uganda last year with Viola’s eight-year-old brother, but no adult guardian.
Viola and her brother were raised by their uncle until he
was killed by soldiers on his way home one day. They survived for a few months
off of the vegetables in their garden. When they ran out of food, they moved in
with Scobia and her grandmother, who were neighbors. Lillian was living with
her older sister, after their parents had died. But when her sister got
married, she left with her husband, leaving Lillian alone. She also moved in
with Scobia.
As the violence in South Sudan worsened, their school stopped
operating and the girls became increasingly worried about their safety.
“I was afraid that if I stayed in South Sudan, we would get
killed just like my uncle,” Viola says. “I wanted to come to Uganda to be safe
and get an education, so I can one day get a job and continue taking care of my
brother.”
Scobia’s grandmother helped the girls pack food and their
belongings, and they set off for Uganda on foot. During the journey, they rationed
their supplies, not knowing how long they’d need the food to last. They arrived
in Uganda after walking for seven days.
“Young girls like these arriving in Uganda alone and fending
for themselves are at major risk of violent attacks. They oftentimes arrive
already traumatized from violent events that may have occurred on their
journey,” says Delphine Pinault, Country Director for CARE Uganda. “With most
of the refugees coming from a culture of violence and conflict, it is critical
that we work with the entire community, including men and boys, on adopting
more caring and supportive behaviors and on resolving conflicts and differences
through dialogue rather than the fist.”
Out of the 1.35 million refugees in Uganda, over 700,000 are
children under 18, according to UNHCR. Many of those children arrive in Uganda
without a parent or guardian. Sometimes a child finds a guardian on the journey
to Uganda, or once they arrive in Uganda. Other times a child finds a group of
other children and they become each other’s guardians. This is the case with
Lillian, Scobia and Viola. These girls have become each other’s family.
“We do everything together. We collect firewood, fetch water
and cook together. We also comfort each other when we are sad or remembering
what we have lost in South Sudan. We are sisters,” Viola says.
They need clothes, and more food, and are aware of how
important their education is to a positive future.
"I have to take care of my eight-year-old brother. I
want a good education so I can provide for him. One day I hope to become a nurse
so I can help my community," Viola says.
“School will help me overcome the challenges I am facing,”
Lillian says. “If I have an education, I can get a good job and those
challenges will disappear.”
Noor Kajol likes to
stay busy. The 12-year-old fills her days studying Arabic, playing games with
friends, and making art. A refugee from Myanmar now living in a CARE-managed
camp in Bangladesh, she left Myanmar with her family a year ago in the wave of
hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing extreme violence in the country. She
has two older sisters and three younger brothers and, unlike so many of
children at the camp, her parents are still alive.
Her family lives in
a small shelter at the camp with no electricity. And although the shelters are
hot and become weak after rains, Noor Kajol says this is a better way to live.
In Bangladesh she’s able to continue her schooling, roam around freely, play,
and draw whatever she likes. She realizes that had she stayed in Myanmar, she
may not have survived, let alone fulfill her dream of becoming a
pharmacist.
“Girls who complete
10th grade can work in pharmacies. I also want to work in a pharmacy, or become
a doctor if possible,” she says.
Many girls,
including Noor Kajol, witnessed atrocities such as rape and violent deaths in
Myanmar. In response, CARE operates
what are known as Women Friendly Spaces, community centers where local women
and children can find refuge, socialize, seek counseling, and attend various
trainings. Many children have lost
their parents and now live as orphans in the camps. The spaces are popular among
children and young girls like Noor Kajol, who come there to eat, play, and
rest.
Life in Bangladesh
gives Noor Kajol hope. She’s holding onto her dream of becoming a doctor or
working in a pharmacy.
“When we arrived in
Bangladesh, we were very scared as this was a new and unknown place, but now I
feel happy that I can study and play here with no fear.”
survival and school
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