UNHCR
Title: Return to Somalia
File Name:
Location: Dadaab Refugee Camp Kenya, Kismayo Somalia
Date Aired:
Language: Somali/English
Source: Leslie Knott/ Clementine Malpas
Date Shot: August 31st – September 20th
Duration: 7”09’
Format:
Background:
Ali and his family are ready to return to Somalia after living in Dadaab refugee camp for the past five years. We follow their journey from packing up their home in the camp to settling into their new life back in Somalia.
Script:
V/O IN THE EARLY 1990’s DADAAB REFUGEE CAMP BECAME A SAFE HAVEN FOR THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF SOMALIS FLEEING THE CIVIL WAR.
V/O AT ITS PEAK IT GREW TO ALMOST 600,000 PEOPLE.
V/O BUT AFTER TWENTY FIVE YEARS REFUGEES ARE STARTING TO RETURN.
Ali (Somali): We are going to meet your Grandma. We are going to meet her.
V/O AFTER FIVE YEARS OF LIVING HERE - ALI, HIS WIFE AND THEIR FIVE CHILDREN ARE GOING HOME
Ali (Somali): I can’t wait to show my children the ocean.
Sofia (Somali): Ali. Ali where are the childrens’ jackets?
Ali (Somali) : Yes, I put them in there.
Sofia (Somali): Should I close the suitcase?
Ali (Somali) Yes put them in there.
.
V/O ALI’S CHILDREN WERE BORN HERE. IT’S THE ONLY HOME THEY KNOW
Sofia (Somali) Ali, where is that container I keeping asking you for.
Ali (Somali): It is safe.
Sofia (Somali) I told you it was important
Ali (Somali) Whatever, we have lost lots of things.
V/O MOVING HOUSE, EVEN IN A REFUGEE CAMP, IS A CHAOTIC AFFAIR.
Ali (Somali) Zacharia we are going to leave you behind. Hurry up hurry up.
V/O AFTER FIVE YEARS HERE THEY HAVE DECIDED IT IS SAFE ENOUGH TO RETURN.
Ali (Somali) I have to be able to work to look after my children. They have needs. In my homeland if we need to go away to find work we can go. But here if there is work in Garissa or Nairobi we can’t leave without an identity card.
Ali (Somali) Where is Zacharia?
Sofia (Somali) Everything is packed
Neighbour (Somali) Goodbye be safe
Sofia (Somali) Goodbye my friend.
V/O ALMOST 150 REFUGEES WILL MAKE THE TRIP TODAY
Ali (Somali) Now you have everything you need for Khalid and Ayub
V/O JUST BEFORE CROSSING THE BORDER ALI AND SOFIA COLLECT THE BASICS TO START THEIR NEW LIFE IN SOMALIA.
Sofia (Somali) We need some bags to carry all these things. Am I donkey cart? How can I carry all of this?
V/O FOR THE CHILDREN IT IS THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE LEFT THE CAMP. THEIR RETURN IS FILLED WITH HOPE.
Zacharia (Somali) Is Kismayo near to here?
Sofia (Somali) No, it is very far
Ali (Somali) I can’t wait to show my children the ocean. To show them the places I used to live as a kid.
V/O FOR THE CHILDREN, THEIR HOMELAND IS AN UNKNOWN PLACE.
Ali (Somali): We are Somali and I want them to know their culture while they are still young.
Ali (Somali) When we came here we were running away from war. Now we are returning to a country that is peaceful.
Sofia (Somali) Kismayo is a nice place, it isn’t like the camps. If you feel the heat of the sun on your back you can jump into the sea. You are surrounded by your relatives and your friends.
V/O FOR ALI AND SOPHIA STARTING LIFE AGAIN WON’T BE WITHOUT ITS CHALLENGES.
TITLE: THREE DAYS LATER
TITLE: KISMAYO SOMALIA
Ali (Somali) Zachary and Mohammad, we are home!
Person off screen (Somali) auntie how are you?
Sofia (Somali) Hello I am fine thank you. Fatima! Ahmed!
Thank god I am OK.
Sofia’s sister (Somali) Welcome home dear.
V/O THE CHILDREN ARE MEETING THEIR FAMILY FOR THE FIRST TIME.
Sofia (Somali) Have you met you met your Grandma? Where is she?
V/O ALI HARDLY RECOGNISES THE CITY HE LEFT BEHIND.
Ali (Somali) Kismayo has changed a lot. It has become a big city. I can hardly tell where my neighbourhood is. Now I will stay with my relatives until I can find a job.
V/O THREE WEEKS AFTER ARRIVING, ALI AND SOPHIA HAVE FINALLY FOUND A HOME OF THEIR OWN.
V/O THE TRANSITION BACK TO SOMALIA HAS BEEN HARDER THAN THEY HAD IMAGINED.
Ali (Somali) We thought there would be more support when we got here. We are waiting for help to create job opportunities.
Sofia (Somali) It isn’t what I expected. I hope that things will change soon.
V/O WITH NO INCOME, THEIR LIFE IS IN LIMBO.
Ali (Somali) As soon as I get a job or receive aid I will be able to send my children to school.
V/O THE FOCUS REMAINS ON THE BASICS OF SURVIVAL
Ali (Somali) I am happy because I am finally home. Whether we are hungry or full at least we know we are free.
SHOTLIST
00:00 WS of Dadaab Refugee Camp, burning garbage, donkeys and people walking through
00:07 MS of Ali hugging his child
00:12 WS top shot of Dadaab Refugee Camp
00:14 MS market in Dadaab camp, women walking through
00:17 MS Ali and Sofia packing up their belongings.
00:22 MS of Ali and son.
CLIP: Ali (Somali): We are going to meet your Grandma. We are going to meet her.
00:28 WS Ali, Sofia and the family traveling on the bus
00:31 WS Silhouette of child opening the window of the bus
00:34 CU Ali looking out of the window
CLIP: Ali (Somali): I can’t wait to show my children the ocean.
00:37: WS looking out the bus window on to the desert
00:39: WS of the soldiers through the bus window
00:41: MS of Sofia hugging her sister
00:45 WS huts in Dadaab camp. Title: FOUR DAYS EARLIER
00:49: TITLE: DADAAB REFUGEE CAMP
CLIP: Sofia (Somali): Ali. Ali where are the childrens’ jackets? Ali: You packed them. Are they in here?
00:52- MS of Sofia talking to Ali while packing
1:00- MS Shot of son playing with shoe
1:04 WS of women packing up belongings.
1:09 – MS Ali packing
CLIP - Ali (Somali) : Yes, I put them in there.
Sofia (Somali): Should I close the suitcase?
Ali (Somali) Yes put them in there.
Sofia (Somali) Ali, where is that container I keeping asking you for.
Ali (Somali): It is safe.
Sofia (Somali) I told you it was important
01:11 – MS Sofia standing with other women packing, Ali walks by
CLIP Ali (Somali) Whatever, we have lost lots of things.
01:20 – MS women packing
CLIP Ali (Somali) Zacharia we are going to leave you behind. Hurry up hurry up.
01:29 – MS women packing and holding children, Sofia has baby put on her back.
01:35 – MS Ali interview shot
CLIP Ali (Somali) I have to be able to work to look after my children.
01:44 – WS Ali picks up his son who is laughing
CLIP
They have needs.
01:50 – WS Sofia standing
CLIP Ali (Somali) In my homeland if we need to go away to find work we can go.
02:00 MS Interview shot of Ali
CLIP Ali (Somali) But here if there is work in Garissa or Nairobi
02:05 MS Ali and Sofia walking out of the compound
CLIP Ali (Somali) we can’t leave without an identity card.
CLIP Neighbour (Somali) Goodbye be safe
02:14 MS Sofia and Ali walking out the door
CLIP Sofia (Somali) Goodbye my friend.
02:15 WS Bus pulling out of shot with people standing under the tree.
02:22 MS Ali taking the items out of the truck
CLIP: Ali (Somali) Now you have everything you need for Khalid and Ayub
CLIP: Sofia (Somali) We need some bags to carry all these things. Am I donkey cart? How can I carry all of this?
02:37 – MS boys playing with the goats
02:39 – MS Ali washing the face of his son
02:45 – MS sons on the bus
CLIP Zacharia (Somali) Is Kismayo near to here?
02:46 CU shot of Sofia
CLIP Sofia (Somali) No, it is very far
02:49 Silhouette of bus driver
CLIP: Ali (Somali) I can’t wait to show my children the ocean.
02:53: MS Ali looking out the window of the bus
CLIP Ali (Somali) To show them the places I used to live as a kid.
02:59 WS Ali and his son looking out the window.
CLIP: Ali (Somali): We are Somali.
03:06 – CU son looking out the window
CLIP Ali (Somali) I want them to know their culture while they are still young.
03:11 – CU Ali on the bus
CLIP - Ali (Somali) When we came here we were running away from war.
03:15 – CU Ali’s son standing on the bus
CLIP – Ali (Somali) Now we are returning to a country that is peaceful.
03:22 – CU Sofia on bus
CLIP - Sofia (Somali) Kismayo is a nice place, it isn’t like the camps.
03:26 – MS boys on the bus
CLIP- If you feel the heat of the sun on your back
03:32 – CU of Sofia
CLIP – Sofia (Somali) you can jump into the sea. You are surrounded by your relatives and your friends.
03:40 – WS out front of bus window
TITLE: Three days later. Kismayo, Somalia
03:45 – WS bus driving into Somalia
03:53 – WS courtyard with bus unpacking
03:57 – WS women standing at the doorway
04:03 – Side view of bus with Ali and Sofia unpacking the bus
CLIP - Ali (Somali) Zachary and Mohammad, we are home!
04:12 – WS walking into the home in Somalia
04:15 – MS sofia walking into the courtyard, hugging relatives
CLIP - Person off screen (Somali) auntie how are you?
CLIP - Sofia (Somali) Hello I am fine thank you. Fatima! Ahmed!
Thank god I am OK.
CLIP - Sofia’s sister (Somali) Welcome home dear.
04:41- MS – kids run into the house
04:49 – MS Sofia talking to younger relatives
CLIP Sofia (Somali) Have you met you met your Grandma? Where is she?
05:02 – WS of top shot of city of Kismayo.
CLIP - Ali (Somali) Kismayo has changed a lot.
05:09 – WS with Ali, Sofia and baby
CLIP – Ali (Somali) It has become a big city. I can hardly tell where my neighbourhood is.
05:17 – CU baby sleeping on the mat
05:21 – MS kids sitting on a chair
CLIP – Ali (Somal)i Now I will stay with my relatives
05:31 – WS cows drinking from the pond in city of Somalia
05:35 – WS boats in water bordered by the trees
05:38 – WS roads in Somalia
05:41 – WS Ali and his family walking into their new house
05:44 – WS loading the donkey cart
05:48 – WS walking through destroyed villages with donkey cart
05:49 – Ali and his family unpacking their luggage
05:55 – WS Kids playing on the mattresses
05:58 – MS Sofia and baby sitting on mattresses
06:03 – MS Ali sitting with his son on his knee
CLIP - Ali (Somali) We thought there would be more support when we got here. are waiting for help to create job opportunities.
06:28 CU shot of Sofia
CLIP - Sofia (Somali) It isn’t what I expected. I hope that things will change soon.
06:35 – WS kids playing on carpet
06:40 – MS interview shot Ali
CLIP - Ali (Somali) As soon as I get a job or receive aid I will be able to send my children to school.
06:46 – WS Ali feeding his kids
06:50 – WS of beach
06:54 – Ali’s son sitting on a boat
06:58 – WS kids and Ali on the beach
07:04 – MS Ali and his son
CLIP - Ali (Somali) I am happy because I am finally home. Whether we are hungry or full at least we know we are free.
07:12 – WS kids playing in water