YOUTH PROTECTION AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
Kakuma Refugee Camp – Kenya 2008 Report
Sector Objectives
· Optimal participation of Kakuma community in sports and cultural activities at a recreational level.
· Empower the community with the skills necessary to build their capacities for self-management
· Influence positive attitudes and behavior toward community concerns especially in the areas of peace, health, environment and human rights.
Impact Targets
· Increased engagement of the youth in constructive activities [sports and cultural activities] and subsequent reduction in delinquency amongst the youth.
· Improved peaceful coexistence amongst and between the different communities in the camp and the host community.
· Increased engagement of girls and women in sports and other youth activities both at participant and management levels.
Educating the community on importance of youth activities
Activities conducted in the course of the 2008
Girls’ exposure trip
The unit facilitated an integrated learning trip for a girl’ football team to Nairobi. A total of 24 participants benefited from this activity (22 players, 1 matron and 1 coach). The objective of the trip was to provide the girls with the opportunity to share their ideas and experiences with girls from diverse cultural backgrounds with a view to influence their identity, perception and aspirations in life.
Over the years, girls and women mobilization and participation in sporting activities was limited to addressing the issues that affect them within Kakuma. Following the transformation of the project from addressing relief to development in the new strategic plan, the new approach created a demand for wider training and exposure of the unit’s participants. An integrated learning trip thus endowed the girls with insights and experiences that they can replicate in the camp and upon return to their home countries.
Apart from playing football, the girls interacted with other girls/women of diverse professions. They also visited the Kenya Wildlife Service, National Museums of Kenya, University of Nairobi and the Kenya Airports Authority. The girls also interacted with the MYSA[1] girls through their engagement in community service work in Dandora slums. MYSA also facilitated a 2-day training on formal leadership provided in key life skills such as communication, decision-making, team building, group dynamics and problem-solving.
The outcome of the exchange will best be evaluated on a long term basis, regarding how the participating players and volunteers are able to use the knowledge gained to improve, diversify or modify female participation and empowerment in the unit. On the short term, the exposed girls will be used to mitigate social change and mobilize more girls. An action plan has been developed in which the unit will facilitate meetings forums with the community leaders, parents, religious leaders, boys and other girls to share their experiences and how their attitude, aspirations and perception in life has transformed.
Five [5] national & international holidays were commemorated. During the events, the youth and children were engaged in recreational and/competitive activities involving diverse target groups. These days included: International Women’s day, Easter holiday day, Madaraka day, World Environmental day, international peace day and World Refugee day. Apart from positively occupying the youth’s leisure time, the activities also bridged cultural and ethnic divides and were used to create awareness on various social issues. These activities were a major crowd puller attracting an estimated 15,000 spectators cumulatively.
A total of 39 groups (22 cultural troupes and 17 youth clubs) were mobilized and registered. These groups were engaged through Drama, Cultural dances, Art, Fashion show & modeling, Poetry, Puppetry, Debates, HIV/AIDS awareness and Sanitation awareness. The international days also provided extra opportunity for the groups to exhibit their works and to share their cultural values with the refugees.
The youth and children engaged in age-based leagues in 4 core sports disciplines, football, volleyball, basketball and netball
1,366 leagues matches were played in this reporting period. Of these, 1,088 matches involved male teams while 278 matches involved female teams.
2,397 friendly matches were played in all the Zones, for the different age-group categories during this reporting period. Of these, 1,864 matches involved male teams while 533 matches involved female teams. The matches were used to protect the youth from the prevalent idleness as well as to promote peaceful co-existence amongst the diverse ethnic communities in the camp; including the host community.
This year, the project registered approximately 433 teams in 4 core sports (375 male teams and 58 female teams) – Football, Basketball, Volleyball and Netball.
Road Race
The unit facilitated the organization of one [2] Road races that involved participants from both the refugee and the host communities. The event was organized under three categories to enhance participation. These categories were; the 6 kilometer race for the under-12 age category, 12 kilometer race for the under-17 age category and 21 kilometers (Half-marathon) race for the open-age category. A total number of 807 youth and children participated (577males and 230females). Apart from nurturing talent, the event was used to positively occupying the youth’s leisure time and to bridge cultural and ethnic divides amongst the diverse communities in Kakuma. The event was watched by a crowd estimated at about 7,000 spectators.
Debate Sessions
A total of 108 debate sessions have so far been conducted in all the Zones and the youth were engaged in positive discussions on topical social issues affecting them in the camp. These included: HIV/AIDS, early/forced marriages, Drug & Substance Abuse, Repatriation and gender. In most of the sessions the participants grasped the issues in the motions but were limited by the articulate skills to express their ideas. The participation of girls in such forums was also low and the project will now focus on new initiatives to enhance girls’ participation.
Holiday Activities
The project facilitate the organization of 2 youth holiday activities
The 3 weeks event was staged in 4 different Centers spread across the camp. The participants were engaged in 10 different activities namely: Hygiene promotion, Peace discussions, HIV/AIDS discussions and shows, Drama, Song and dance, Debate sessions, Art & Craft contests and Environmental awareness sessions and sports. A youth leaders committee coordinated these activities and this year’s theme was ‘Breaking the Silence, let’s talk to save lives’.
Apart from positively engaging the youth’s free time, the April Holiday Activities also served to educate the youth on relevant social issues and promoted peaceful coexistence during this festive period. The activities climaxed with the hosting of a youth cultural festival on the last two days of the activities. The festival hosted 50 items of competitive events on: Traditional dances, Oral narratives, Traditional food festival, Drama & Puppetry, Arts & Craft exhibition, Fashion show & modeling and sports.
During these two festivals, International Rescue Committee’s mobile VCT[2] crew was invited and 75 youth (43males and 32females) voluntarily tested their status. National Council Churches of Kenya also exhibited the resource material used in reproductive health awareness.
Meeting
The project facilitates coordination meetings with the various youth structures, implementing partners and the community leadership.
28 coordination meetings were conducted during this period. These included meetings with the various youth structures, implementing partners and community leaders. Apart from deliberating on the day-to-day issues affecting the Zones, the meetings were also used to monitor & review progress and coordinate activity planning and implementation.
First Aid Training
A 6-day training on basic community-based First Aid was conducted and 73 (60males, 13females) sports volunteers benefited. The participants were drawn from the 11 existing Zones which included the host community. Some of the main topics covered included: Basic Life Support, Unconscious Casualty Management I,II and III, Disorders of breathing, Fire drills, poisoning, Burns and Scalds, Disorders of circulation, Disorders of the brain, Transportation of casualties, Incident management and Common sports related injuries.
The objective of the training was to build the participant’s abilities to effectively cope with emergency situations in sports events and at the community level.
The training was tailored as practical as possible to enhance the participants’ ability to gain from experiential learning. In the post-training evaluation forms filled, the participants concurred that the training was valuable especially to the returnees as southern Sudan has limited health facilities. A noticeable change in professional handling of casualties by the new first aides was eminent though the impact of their work can only be realized in the long term. However, staff and Zonal sports council committees will closely monitor the implementation of the action plan.
Youth conference on Drug and substance abuse
The unit conducted a 3-day youth conference on Drug and Substance Abuse. This was facilitated in collaboration with NCCK and IRC and a total of 160 youth (106 males and 54 females) participated. This number was also inclusive of the 7 community leaders, 5 teachers, 2 Government of Kenya representatives (Policemen) and 3 religious leaders who were in attendance. The objective of the conference was to strengthen the human resource and administrative base for effective management and control of drugs and substances of abuse. The conference was also aimed at facilitating the enhancement of law enforcement and control of substances through inter and multi-sectoral collaborative support networks.
The conference addressed four thematic areas: Myths about drugs, Creating abuse awareness, Legislation of drugs and HIV/AIDS & Behaviour Change Communication. Whereas the prevalence of HIV/AIDS was noted to be on the decrease, drugs and substance abuse was on the increase compounded by the lack of a traditional control system and frustration arising from unemployment, idleness and poverty. There was consensus from the participants on the need for concerted efforts to enhance youth preventive education
Sports Management training
A sports management and administration training was conducted to the Zonal sports council members, targeting 131 participants. The training was facilitated under a rotational time table and a total of 119 (98 male and 21 females) sports council members benefited from this training. Participants were trained on: Sports equipment & infrastructure management, sports management councils, volunteerism & motivation, local resource mobilization, management of meetings, special events organization, community mobilization and office practice.
Theatre Training
Three 5-day Theatre trainings were conducted in which 108 participants (78males and 30females) benefited. The trainings targeted youth leaders, Theatre Club leaders and selected members. Participants were also drawn from partners who included: IRC, NCCK, Education Sector and Child Development. The first training was a ToT[3] and at the end of the workshop, the participants were tasked to facilitate 2 more trainings targeting the theatre club leaders and some members.
The objective of the training was to equip the participants with the skills to enable them to not only be able to create awareness using performance art but also train their peers on the same. It is envisaged that this training will build the youth leaders’ capacity to be able to identify issues affecting them, advocate for their rights and powerfully create awareness on them to their peers and the community at large.
Computer training
The unit enrolled 20 youth (16males, 4females) for computer studies at the Don Bosco vocational training centre. Upon successful completion of the one-year course, the youth will be awarded with Diplomas in Computer studies. The unit selected the youth from its list of active volunteers but they also had to meet the basic requirements for the course. It is hoped that this training will equip the youth with vital skills to effectively handle their responsibilities and prepare for repatriation
Achievements
The leagues and friendly matches organized for the various age-categories promoted the protection of the youth by positively engaging their leisure time. Sports forums also enhanced communication by providing a platform upon which information on HIV/AIDS issues were propagated. It is also anticipated that the distribution of HIV/AIDS resource material will further enhance the dissemination of targeted information that meets the youth’s profile
Following the mainstreaming of HIV/AIDS awareness in sports, there was noticeable change in the way sports casualties with open wounds were handled by the players, match officials and First Aid personnel. Bleeding players were asked to change their stained uniforms and only resumed play after the bleeding stopped while the First Aides wore hand gloves.
The successful forging of partnership in the implementation of these activities was a key achievement realized in this period. The unit worked closely with the National Council of Churches in Kenya (NCCK), International Rescue Committee (IRC) and LWF’s Education department. This partnership enabled the unit to tap on the resultant synergy.
By involving the youth in these activities, their free time is used constructively in beneficial to the community, take good care of their health and shaping them to be role models and good citizens
Heart felt appreciation goes Wakachiai Project for the support that they have been giving to Youth Protection and Development Unit operating in Kakuma Refugee camp, which is situated in North West Kenya, Rift Valley Province in Turkana District. The camp has Refugees from Sudan, Somalia, Congo, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and Eritrea. 75% of the populations are the youth and this is why it is very important to involve the Youth more productive activities to assist the Youth discover develop and their talents as the youth are the future of any Nation in the world.
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