Trading the stool for a stall: Migrant female sex workers in Majengo, Kenya

Today, I ventured out to Majengo, a heavily populated settlement zone on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya's capital city. I met with two migrant female sex workers who have been part of a peer education programme for the past two years. They talk about the impact the programme has had on their lives.

*Rosemary Maliwa sells fruits for a living. One year ago, she worked as a female sex worker, earning less than one dollar a day. She shares her story with us…

At the break of dawn, *Rosemary Maliwa walks out of her house. She pushes the door gently, to keep from waking her three grandchildren who are coiled up on the floor of her one-bedroom tin house. With fruits tightly packed into a small bucket, she wades through burst sewage pipes, to a makeshift wooden structure by the side of a road.

25 years as a sex worker

This is Majengo. A densely populated neighborhood on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya's capital city. Tanzanians, Rwandese, Ugandans and Congolese weave through the crowd of Kenyans, dodging speeding cars that fill the air with clouds of dust.

“If you came door-to-door for one week, you would not have met all the female sex workers in Majengo,” Rosemary, a migrant from Tanzania, explains.

She came to Majengo 26 years ago.

“A friend who cared for me brought me here; she worked here too.”

Rosemary was a housewife, and she relied on her husband for upkeep. When he became abusive and started spending more nights away from home, she decided to leave with their three children.

How much money I made depended on how much risk I was willing to take

On a good day, Rosemary was able to see ten clients. But there were days when no clients came to her house.

“The calculation was simple: ‘Should I let my children go hungry, or should I take the risk of having unprotected sex?’ It was not a difficult decision – I had unprotected sex many times.”

Along the way, Rosemary contracted the HIV virus.

Trading the stool for the stall

In Majengo, a female sex worker sits on a small, wooden stool outside her house to symobolize that she is at work. When a client approaches her, she follows him into her house with the stool in hand.

“One day, I learned about a peer education programme that NOPE and IOM were running. I was told that they could help me start up a business. I had always wanted to quit sex work, but I was unable to get start-up income for a business from any bank - it is hard when your papers are not okay. I grabbed the opportunity when it came my way.”

One year ago, Rosemary traded the stool for a stall. She now trades in fruits. She supplements her income with money she makes off fabrics she sells.

"When our clients see us on these stools, they know we are at work." Photo/Mary-Sanyu Osire


*Victoria Kalume is a female sex worker. One year ago, she did not know that undocumented migrants also have rights. Today, she insists that everyone deserves to be respected. Find out why…

Illegally connected electricity lines hang dangerously low over *Victoria Kalume’s house.

“Come in, have a seat,” she motions with her hand.

She grabs a wrinkled handkerchief to wipe sweat off her forehead. A small radio in the corner is blaring. She breathes heavily.

Victoria just saw a client.

She is a migrant female sex worker, one of hundreds of Congolese who make a living in Majengo, a heavy populated settlement zone in Nairobi.

Treated like dogs

“Kenya has had three presidents since independence; and we were here before the first president, yet law enforcement officers used to treat us like dogs.”

Sex work is illegal in Kenya. Victoria’s situation is exacerbated by the fact that she is an undocumented migrant.

Change

IOM and NOPE have been running human rights sensitization classes for sex workers and law enforcement officers, in an effort to raise public awareness about the rights of vulnerable migrants, and to empower migrants to speak up for their rights.

“Things have slowly started to change. These days, if one of our clients refuses to pay, we are confident enough to report the case to police. This was unthinkable a few years ago,” Victoria says.

She digs into her handbag and retrieves scrap paper with a number scribbled on it.

“If I got arrested today, I would call these people. They would help me. One year ago, I did not know what services were available. Today, I know who to go to for what kind of assistance.”


* not real name



END//

Region: Kenya, Horn of Africa
Theme(s): Migration, Health, Female sex work

The author is a health communications consultant. Follow her on Twitter [@msanyuosire] & keep tabs on tips she shares with health communications officers by "liking" my facebook page [Mary-Sanyu Osire].

Assessing the impact of the US Congress' proposal to cut global health funding

This morning, I read an article published by MSF about the US Congress' proposal to cut global health funding.

Chew on this:

"According to American Foundation for AIDS Research (AMFAR), for every 5% reduction in U.S. funding of global health programs, 182,000 people with HIV/AIDS and 2.1 million malaria patients will be left untreated; and millions of children will go without immunization against resurgent diseases like measles that can leave children with pneumonia, blindness, or death. Put another way: A 5% cut in US funding for global health is akin to shutting the doors of every MSF hospital and clinic in over 70 countries for an entire year."

Find the article at this link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-spitzer/the-human-cost-of-cutting_b_1099870.html

THE HORN OF AFRICA: Drought & water-related diseases

I just came back from a mission to Turkana (northern Kenya). Here's the story I filed:

Worst drought in 60 years

It is hard living in Turkana. In addition to biting poverty, recurrent droughts and floods, a poor state of infrastructure and limited access to basic health care, the region is being ravaged by the worst drought in 60 years.

Turkana, nestled in north-west Kenya, has been hit hard by the drought. Two years of scarce rains have resulted in the driest season since 1950. The effects of the drought look set to continue into 2012. Loss of pasture and water has led to the death of thousands of cattle, a main source of livelihood for pastoralist communities, who are most affected by the drought.

“I lost half my herd of goats this season; I have been here 55 years and lived through many droughts, but I have never seen things this bad,” says Ereng Nangiro, one of the 12 million people affected.

Weak health systems

Sprawling empty arid land stretches for miles. The nearest health centre is kilometres away, leaving pastoralist communities in remote areas of Turkana vulnerable. With limited access to safe drinking water and basic health care, water-related diseases like diarrhoea and cholera are ongoing challenges.

Worldwide, around 1.1 billion people lack access to improved water sources and 2.4 billion have no basic sanitation. Water-related diseases are a leading cause of preventable deaths around the world, and are among five major causes of death in children under the age of five. Such diseases can be successfully treated with oral rehydration solution and antibiotics, but in regions like Turkana, health centers are rare, and those in existence lack basic supplies.

“My nine children are consistently suffering from akirem (diarrhoea),” says Ereng.

Health promotion

Erengs’ is one of many families that have received not only health and hygiene promotion education, but also diarrhoeal treatment from one of the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) mobile rapid response health teams.

In partnership with Kenya’s Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation, equipped with basic commodities including re-hydration sachets, chlorine water treatment tablets, de-worming tablets, and medication for eye infections, IOM’s mobile rapid response health teams go to the hard-to-reach migrant and mobile communities in Turkana to distribute much-needed medication and conduct mass de-worming campaigns.

IOM is also running health and hygiene promotion talks, believing that small changes can have a big impact. Keeping in mind sustainability and cultural sensitivities, the health promotion campaign complements local knowledge with indigenous solutions. For example, communities are encouraged to wash their hands with ash, a local disinfectant that is free and easily accessible. 55,000 vulnerable members of the community are being targeted for IOM’s outreach.

Mobile health teams have proven to be more effective than static health facilities owing to the nomadic culture of communities in Turkana.

In 2010 and 2009, IOM dispatched four mobile rapid response health teams on similar missions to crisis-affected communities in Kenya’s Rift Valley, Western, and Nyanza provinces that were struggling to prevent and fight against water-related diseases. Over 492,000 people benefited.

According to Grace Khaguli, Field Coordinator for IOM’s Emergency project in Turkana: “Due to the scale of the drought, water is much harder to come by. This makes people more inclined to drink dirty, unsafe water. The situation is now more critical than ever. The worry is residents use contaminated water, and the area has very few toilets, which contributes to improper waste disposal. Lack of water is the main driver of epidemic water-related diseases.”

Senior Elder Echepan Ngelecha, a community leader in Nadapal Village, northern Turkana, says: “In our culture, we divide illnesses into those caused by God and those caused by Ngidekesiney ka ekapilan (witchcraft). Thanks to IOM, we are now aware that we can do certain things to prevent illnesses. This partnership needs to be continuous because it takes time to change behaviour, like remembering to use ash when we wash our hands in order to prevent spread of diseases.”


END//

Region: Kenya, Horn of Africa
Theme(s): Migration, Health, Drought

The author is a health communications consultant. Follow her on Twitter [@msanyuosire] & keep tabs on tips she shares with health communications officers by "liking" my facebook page [Mary-Sanyu Osire].

Food for thought ...

This morning, I was reading through a certain INGOs 2011-2015 national health strategy document, and stumbled upon this:

"Most countries in Africa continue to experience the loss of a sizeable number of highly skilled health professionals by their migration to developed countries.

The total cost of educating a single medical doctor from primary school to university is approximately US$ 65,997; and for every doctor who emigrates, a country loses about US$ 517,931 worth of returns from investment.

The total cost of educating one nurse from primary school to college of health sciences is $US 43, 180; and for every nurse that emigrates, a country loses about US$338,868 worth of returns from investment (Kirigia, 2006)."

An Aid Worker's Diary

I recently visited the largest refugee camp in the world on a Migration Health reporting assignment. Bottom line: I am persuaded that when it comes to health systems in displacement settings, "almost" does not count. We need comprehensive, equitable, convenient, migrant-friendly strategies that address the needs of EVERYONE - not a few, or the majority. To view my picture story, feed this URL into your browser:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marysanyuosire/6041608118/in/set-72157627430341760

IOM Iraq facilitates cross-regional meeting between health officials in Iraq, Jordan and Kenya

by Mary-Sanyu Osire

Almost eight years after the U.S. military occupation, Iraq struggles to cope with large-scale displacement and pressing humanitarian needs.

In an effort to build Iraq’s capacity to deal with the complexities of addressing the health concerns of so many internally displaced people, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) helped to facilitate a high-level cross-regional meeting between National Tuberculosis (TB) Control Program senior management staff from Iraq, Jordan, and Kenya.

The meeting, held in Jordan on May 2011, provided an opportunity for the health officers to share knowledge on managing mobile populations, effective border-control methods, and ways to prevent the spread of TB and other infectious diseases.

Iraq struggles to cope with large-scale displacement. PHOTO/IRIN

In 2011 alone, IOM Iraq has successfully provided health screening, care, and treatment for 12,000 displaced migrants who have been selected for resettlement to the US. This marks a significant increase from the 5,000 migrants who were screened by IOM in 2008.

IOM in Iraq has 35 health staff who work in a clinic within Albitar hospital, one of the leading health centres in Baghdad, Iraq’s capital city. In addition to migrants who have been accepted for resettlement to the US, IOM staff carries out health assessments for migrants traveling to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Finland, Austria, and France.

IOM’s health assessment program in Iraq is being run in close partnership with the Government and partners in the private sector.

END//

Region: Iraq, Middle East
Theme(s): Migration, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Health

The author is soon to be one of East Africa's most revered Migration and Health communications officers. Email her on: msanyu@yahoo.com

SOUTHERN SUDAN – Addressing health concerns of scattered populations of Jau

by Mary-Sanyu Osire

Jau / SOUTHERN SUDAN, 02 July 2011 – The International Organization for Migration estimates that in the past month, 3,700 people have fled Jau, a small border town sandwiched between northern and southern Sudan.

Brief history of the region

The conflict in Sudan has been a long, convoluted civil war that recently culminated in a referendum that saw the southern region of the country overwhelmingly vote to secede from the North.

On the eve of preparations to mark the South’s Independence Day, pockets of resistance have sprung up across southern Sudan. Seven former army officers in the ruling southern Sudan’s People’s Liberation Movement have now turned the gun’s barrel against the movement, citing irreconcilable differences pegged to corruption and nepotism.

Displaced populations and health

According to a recent study that was commissioned by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), “chronic and sustained human flight” is a major factor that contributes towards Sudan being one of the most unstable nations in the world.

Amnesty International paints a grim picture of the situation: “Sudan has the largest population of internally displaced persons in the world.”

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs places the figure of displaced persons in Sudan at four million.

Internally displaced southern Sudanese sleep on the floor of a church in the village of Mayen Abun, southern Sudan on Thursday May 26, 2011. Photo: Peter Muller / AP

Migration is a social determinant of health because mobile populations are often unable to enjoy the quality of health care that is at the disposal of static communities. For the Jau, the problem is compounded by the fact that displacement camps like the ones they have fled to are more susceptible to outbreaks of infections like cholera, tuberculosis and meningitis, which are highly contagious and thrive in crowded settlements with collapsed social amenities.

However, as the International Organization for Migration points out, it is important to note that not all migrants and mobile populations are equally at risk to adverse health: “It is not the movement per se that makes these migrants vulnerable, but rather the way in which they move and the context in which movement takes place. For example, separation from family, alcohol use and a lack of effective prevention programming may drive risky sexual behavior thus fuel HIV transmission in displacement camps.”

Such disparities between the needs of static and mobile populations are the primary reason why some countries have implemented specialized health care systems for highly mobile segments of their population. For example, the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation in Kenya has mobile health teams and roaming health centres that attend to health concerns of nomads in northern Kenya.

The Way Forward

A concerted effort is required to ensure that the new government of southern Sudan incorporates the unique health concerns of mobile and migrant populations in its national health strategy. This would involve measures like drawing up policies and strategies that address these needs, carrying out research to establish gaps that need to be bridged, implementing health promotion activities and bolstering service delivery.

“Migrant friendly” health systems are essential because mobile groups like traders, truck drivers, pastoralists, and in this case the displaced populations of Jau do not live in isolation. They are part of the community and as such their health status has an impact on the community at-large.


END//

Region: Africa, Eastern Africa, South Sudan
Theme(s): Migration, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Health

The author is a humanitarian analyst and she writes on migration health. Email her on: msanyu@yahoo.com

The International Organization for Migration calls for 'Migrant-Friendly' Health Services on World Health Day

by Mary-Sanyu Osire

KENYA, Nairobi - Falling sick is tough enough. Developing drug resistance to medication worsens the situation and results in greater risks of death.

This was the overarching message delivered by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), alongside other partners who joined forces with Kenya’s Ministry for Public Health and Sanitation to mark this year’s World Health Day, which is marked annually on April 7.

This year’s celebrations in Kenya were held at the Riruta Health Centre, a community clinic on the outskirts of Nairobi that caters for the health concerns of low-income earners. The message of the Day focused on drug resistance.

ABOVE: Kenyans were not to be left behind in this year's celebrations to mark the World Health Day.(Photo/Mary-Sanyu Osire)


The Minister for Public Health and Sanitation, Hon. Beth Mugo(also the area Member of Parliament for Dagoretti, in whose constituency the celebrations were held), appealed for a joint integrated approach towards tackling drug resistance.

She said:

“We call for concerted efforts from all stakeholders including policy-makers, patients, pharmacists and practitioners to think,act and take responsibility for combating drug resistance.”

Dr. Adoulie Jack, the World Health Organization Country Representative, asserted:

“Urgent and coordinated action is required at all levels to ensure the preservation of these life-saving drugs for future generations. We must consolidate our efforts to combat the real threat of drug resistance and raise the required resources.”

IOM‘s remarks were delivered by Dr. Aleksandar Galev, the Regional Migration Health Assessment Coordinator. Dr. Galev emphasised the distinct health concerns of migrants, mobile populations and host communities.

“Due to a number of social factors, such as immigration status and language barriers, migrants and mobile populations are more likely to self-medicate which often leads to drug resistance. It is an issue of inequality; such populations are invisible and existing disparities are preventing them from accessing quality health care. We must ensure medical services are ‘migrant friendly’ to reduce these disparities and curb drug resistance in Kenya, and indeed, globally.”

IOM is an intergovernmental organization whose programs are tailored towards facilitating the safe, humane and orderly movement of people.

In Kenya, powerful and effective medicines are on the brink of loosing their effectiveness because of misuse – drugs are shared, patients are self-medicating and buying their medicines directly over the counter, prescriptions are not duly followed and treatments are often not completed.

ABOVE: Look at me ... this is what a migrant looks like. Am I any different from you? (Photo/Mary-Sanyu Osire)


END//


Region: Africa, Eastern Africa, Kenya
Theme(s):Migration, Development, Health



The author is a humanitarian analyst and she writes on migration. Email her on: msanyu@yahoo.com

TANZANIA: Where there is a Will, there is a Way – Analyzing the Government’s decision to absorb 35,000 displaced families

by Mary-Sanyu Osire

Dar es Salaam / TANZANIA, 18 April 2011 (VoM) – For more than 40 years now, asylum seekers from a swathe of countries across the breadth of East and Central Africa have found a home in Tanzania. And now, 35,000 refugee families stand to benefit from the country’s legacy of compassion.

16 out of a sum total of 26 regions across Tanzania are preparing themselves for a massive refugee absorption program. The program, outlined in a report entitled ‘National Strategy for Community Integration Programme 2011 – 2014’ is expected to see 35,000 refugee families of Burundian ancestry getting naturalised as Tanzanian citizens.

This project, which is intended to last for three years (2010, 2011, 2012) and is being implemented by the Government of Tanzania in close collaboration with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), is pegged to a budget of $ 144 million.

Understanding Tanzania’s citizenship law

The citizenship law of Tanzania guides the Government as it makes decisions on matters related to citizenship and nationality.

According to this law, there are three ways to obtain Tanzanian citizenship: by birth, by descent or by naturalization. Naturalization is the process by which a government grants citizenship to an individual who was not a national of the said government’s country at birth.

The 35,000 refugee families are going to obtain Tanzanian nationality by naturalization.

These families have lived in three settlement areas since the mid and late 1970s: the Ulyankulu settlement area in the Tabora region, and the Mishamo and Katumba settlement areas in the Rukwa region.

The strategic objective of this project is to close these three settlement areas and to facilitate the absorption of the refugees across 16 regions in Tanzania. (These 16 regions encompass 50 districts.)

The Protracted Refugee Situation in Tanzania

According the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), a Protracted Refugee Situation (PRS) is one with seemingly no end or solution in which more than 25,000 people flee their home country, settle in another country, and stay in an organized camp for over five years. In many cases, these are the refugees that stand a slim chance of being accepted elsewhere because they are, for example, the old, the disabled and other vulnerable segments of the society.

Tanzania has been dealing with a Protracted Refugee Situation since 1972 when the first lot of 160,000 Burundian refugees arrived on its soil. That number is believed to have increased to 220,000 Burundian refugees by 2007. The Government of Tanzania welcomed the refugees and granted them land in three settlement areas.

For Nashon Ntoki Ntakiliro, a Burundian refugee seeking naturalization in Tanzania, the document in his hand could well translate to a second lease on life. (PHOTO/Flickr)

Weighing the pros and cons of the Government’s decision

This community of refugees have lived in peaceful co-existence with their host communities since the 1970s. Yet as much as there are many positive aspects of this project, there are also some bottlenecks that the Government should brace itself for.

Perhaps the most crucial benefit of the project is that the refugees will now have a place to call home. No longer a ‘stateless community’ with a scarred past and an uncertain future, these refugees now have their own safe space – a place where they can enjoy their full freedoms, can vote, can sustain their livelihoods and can watch their children grow up with equal access to all the opportunities that the hosting country provides to its citizens. In essence, they have just been handed a second lease on life.

Another positive aspect is the refugees’ likely contribution to Tanzania’s national economy. The citizenship law of Tanzania dictates that individuals who are naturalised must first prove that in the past they have contributed to the advancement of the national economy and that they have the capacity to continue in this trend. If the Government vetted the refugees to determine their ability to contribute to the country’s economy, then chances are that granted the full freedoms as the natives of Tanzanians, the refugees are bound to be able to contribute more than their share towards to the development of the nation. It is important to note that the three settlement areas that the Government granted the Burundian refugees were not refugee camps. In fact, throughout their stay, the Government has treated the refugees like guests. As such, they developed over the years and had gained economic self-sufficiency.

The greatest challenge that the Government of Tanzania is bound to face is dealing with the tension may arise between the refugees and the communities that will absorb them. According to the World Bank, Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. This is determined in relation to the number of families that survive on less than $1 a day. This situation is bound to be exacerbated by the increase in the number of people that will now join in the struggle for scarce and very valuable resources like land and already stretched social amenities like medical and health facilities and education and training institutions. To its credit, the Government has allocated some money towards not only supporting the host communities but also empowering the refugees through livelihoods support projects. Yet the challenge still remains in ensuring that the plans on paper translate to a seamless transition for both the refugees and the host communities. It would be in the Government’s best interest to target a community-focused integration program that not only addresses the needs of the refugees but also the specific needs of the hosting communities.

Furthermore, the Government shall need to devise a strategy that increases the likelihood that the life skills and livelihood training that the refugees receive will translate to viable economic sources of livelihood. Even though a number of these refugees are reported to be economically self-sufficient; there are still a few of them that require a certain degree of assistance before they can realize full economic self-sufficiency. Without the means to support themselves and their families, the refugees could easily become victims of human trafficking, or could be lured into vices like prostitution and petty theft, in an effort to make ends meet.

Finally, the Government should be keen to avoid repeating the mistakes of past refugee absorption programs that have not been successful. Dear Government of Tanzania, remember: Attention to detail! Let’s say you would like to move them to land where they can grow their crops. Have you investigated to see that the land can produce crops? Have you checked to see whether the land you are moving them is sufficient enough to house them in their number, without cases of over-crowding? Will they have ample interaction with their host communities, as opposed to being secluded? Is running water available? Is the region you are planning to move them to plagued with diseases and disease-carrying vectors? Such are the detailed questions that the Government of Tanzania must subject itself to.

Lesson to be learned

Every new project, no matter how similar to others, presents its own set of unique lessons. These lessons are usually observed by analyzing the medium- and long-term impact of the project. As such, in all fairness, what there is to learn from this massive naturalization project is yet to be assessed.

Yet this project, even at this nascent stage, before any medium- or long-term assessment, draws attention to something that is very important.

And this is it: Where there is a will, there is a way. Against all odds, Tanzania – reputed by the World Bank to be one of the poorest countries in the world – has taken upon itself the responsibility of absorbing 35,000 refugee families.

What would happen if all the displaced communities in the world could get a place that they could call home?

Where there is a will, there is a way.


END//

Region: Africa, Eastern Africa, Tanzania
Theme(s): Migration, Refugees, Development, Newly Naturalized Tanzanians (NNT)



The author is a humanitarian analyst and she writes on migration. Email her on: msanyu@yahoo.com

FROM A MIGRANT'S PERSPECTIVE: A glimpse into the life of a Migrant Student from Southern Sudan

(Note from the author: Approximately 2 million Southern Sudanese live in the Diaspora. Lual Peter Dau is one of them. In this interview, he gives some insights into what life in the Diaspora is like for a migrant student from Southern Sudan. And since this interview was conducted in March, the month in which we commemorated the International Women’s Day, I pegged some of the questions on the empowerment of women in Southern Sudan.)


-------------------

“Sanyu!”

Startled, I turn round to find Lual standing right behind me. In full view of everyone at the restaurant, he pulls me close to his chest and locks me in a tight embrace. He is a tall man! I can hear his heart beating against my right ear. It’s cold and windy outside; he is nice and warm. I allow myself to sink deeper into his embrace.

He suddenly pulls away.

“Come!”

It’s an order. You’ll know an order when you hear one; this is an order. I meekly follow in his footsteps, as he leads me up a narrow flight of stairs. He walks about one meter ahead of me. He is dressed in a crisply ironed long-sleeved white shirt that is lined with blue stripes. His well-fitting slightly faded blue jeans are held in place by a brown leather belt and his sharp-pointed black leather shoes are so well polished that I could swear I can see my reflection in them.

We are at an upscale restaurant in Nairobi’s city centre. Nairobi is the capital city of Kenya; a country that geographically lies to the south of Southern Sudan and metaphysically maintains a position of prominence in the heart of many Southern Sudanese. It is widely believed that were it not for the efforts that Kenya’s leaders placed in helping to broker peace between the rebels in Southern Sudan and The Sudan’s government forces in Northern Sudan, there is chance that the 20 year-old civil war would still be raging to this day. Well over 15,000 Southern Sudanese are said to be living in Kenya. Little wonder that the Southern Sudanese flag bears a startling resemblance to the Kenyan flag.

It has taken me two and a half months of persistent phone calls, text messages and emails to (finally) get this interview with Lual. The only thing that is more outstanding than the size of this man's shoes is his dazzling smile! This is a glimpse into the life of Lual Peter Dau; political activist, community mobilizer and chef extraordinaire:

ABOVE: Lual Peter Dau: political actvist, community mobilizer and chef extraordinaire.


1. Tell us about yourself.

I am a Dinka man. (Note from the author: the Dinka, also refered to as the Jieng, is the largest ethnic group in Southern Sudan and they are mainly agro-pastoral people.) I come from a very big family in Southern Sudan. My father took for himself several wives. I was born to the sound of the drum beating to the rhythm of war. I left Sudan when I was very young, and I moved to live with some family members who had migrated to Uganda. (Note from the author: Uganda, found to the south of Southern Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the interlacustrine region of East Africa.) I studied in Uganda for most of my elementary education. When I completed my basic education, I worked for sometime in Southern Sudan with the Lion Commercial Bank. Thereafter I moved to Kenya to embark on my tertiary education at the United States International University. I am currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in International Business Administration.


2. Why did you leave The Sudan?

The primary push factor was the dilapidated social amenities back at home. No schools, no hospitals, no roads … tell me, would you want your child to grow up in such an environment? (Consternation fills his eyes.)

(His phone rings; the ringtone is a traditional Dinka folk song. “Come here, upstairs,” he says to the person on the other end of the line. As he talks on the phone, he asks me how my day was and simultaneously places an order for ‘very strong coffee’ with the waiter who is standing patiently at the right hand side of our table. I busy myself by staring at the huge plasma screen that is hanging above his head. Throughout our interview, his phone kept ringing. And throughout the interview, Southern Sudanese kept streaming to our table to say hi to him. And throughout the calls and the streams of people, I kept staring at the plasma screen.)


3. Take us through what a regular week in your diary would look like.

I am a fulltime student. That is why I am here in Kenya, and not back home in Southern Sudan. In fact, right now, I should be back home in Southern Sudan. From 9am to 7pm, Monday to Thursday, I am at the university. On Fridays, I clear all my assignments. Saturdays through to Sundays are the days that I set side for the activities that are organized by the Southern Sudanese students who live in Kenya. I use my phone to coordinate a lot of activities here in Nairobi, and in several other towns across Kenya. In fact, almost half of my monthly budget is allocated to my phone bills. I am always in touch with my fellow Southern Sudanese. And not just here in Kenya, but also in Uganda, in Australia, in Egypt, in USA … you can choose any country that you want. We are all over the world. And all of us are going back home!


4. This month (March), the world celebrated the International Women’s Day. Recently, Southern Sudanese voted resoundingly to cede from Northern Sudan. In relation to women’s rights, what do you think the immediate priorities for the new State should be?

In fact, these women are very important!

(In a show of great ferocity he cuts a blow across the air with his right hand.)

Let no one deceive you; in Southern Sudan we value our women greatly. If it was not for the support that we received from our women, we could not have succeeded in our fight for liberation. No, that is definite; we could not have succeeded! In addition to actively participating in the frontline, these women also provided our soldiers with food, medical supplies and substantial amounts of alcohol, amongst many other things. Let me tell you about the alcohol: this alcohol that they made for us was local brew. This brew helped to boost the morale of our soldiers as they went to the battle field to face the enemy. The alcohol helped to make us brave; it helped to make us fearless!

Now, to your question. The Government of Southern Sudan has introduced a quota system by which women are automatically granted 25% of representation in the army and all arms of civil service. I congratulate the government for this move, and encourage the government to keep going out of its way to empower our women and to build their capacity so that they can make a significant contribution to the advancement of our new nation. We need our women to take control of the new nation, in the same way that they were in control during the war; even though they may have been behind the scenes.


5. What are some of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the women of Southern Sudan?

Alright please. In my culture, there are many wise sayings about the important roles that our women play in society.

(He pauses and frowns deeply, as though to squeeze thoughts from his brain. It seems to work! He launches into an avalanche of idioms in his native tongue – Dinka. I do not speak the tongue, but fear to interrupt and point this out, mostly because he leaves no room for interruption. I keep nodding my head, as I zealously note down what he says, syllable-for-syllable. Then I get lucky: a text message is delivered to his phone. He pauses to read the message. That’s all the two seconds that I needed. I jump on the question again: “What are some of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the women of Southern Sudan?”)

Oh yes! Sorry about that. Well, as I said earlier the Government’s mandatory 25% representation system for women is definitely one of the opportunities that the women can take maximum advantage of. And of course, a major challenge will be for the women to make up for all the years lost in war and to catch up with the development rate of women in other countries across the world. And they must work hard to attain proper education. School is very important. We need well educated people to help us establish the foundation for our new nation.


6. You are actively involved in matters to do with the Southern Sudanese Students’ Association in Kenya (SSSAK). Tell us about that.

(Note from the author: In the upcoming SSAK elections, Lual intends to run for the position of Vice Chairperson.)

Okay, thank you. First of all, this is not the first time that I am involved in student associations. In high school, when I was in Uganda, I was part of the team of Southern Sudanese students who started a students’ association there. In that capacity, I served as the Secretary of Information. Here in Kenya, the main objective of establishing SSSAK (the Southern Sudanese Students’ Association of Kenya) was to promote the co-existence of the Southern Sudanese students in tertiary institutions of learning here in Kenya. We specifically target students in high schools and universities. We have a following of about 5,000 students spread across approximately 17 universities and 83 colleges. My involvement in these student associations stems from my deeply held conviction that Southern Sudanese need to care for each other and support each other, and more so when they are away from home. Those that have stand in the gap to support those that do not have. Some Southern Sudanese students in the Diaspora need much more assistance than others. Some may not have money for medical attention, for food, or even for school fees. Then the ones that have support the ones that do not have. We share all our problems. That is how Southern Sudanese people are. It is in our nature. The Students’ Association here in Kenya is recognized by the Government of Southern Sudan. In fact, every year, they disburse funds to us which we give to our members as educational grants. There is also an Educational Attaché at the Southern Sudanese embassy here in Kenya who we report to. We are also recognized by the Government of Kenya.


7. What are some of the tangible things that the Southern Sudanese Students’ Association in Kenya has done to address some of the challenges that your people are facing back at home?

In my opinion, perhaps the most important thing that we have done is to coordinate the transfer of manpower and skills from Kenya to Southern Sudan. We have organized for many of our members to go back home as volunteers in order to build the capacity of the people in our growing nation. Nowadays, we do not consider just going to school as progress. You need to show us what you have learned by going to that school! Okay, you went to the university and studied Hotel and Restaurant Management. Good. Now can you come home to Southern Sudan and teach our people how to start up and run hotels? Because if you can not, then we have no need for you. You need to show us the results of what has been keeping you so busy. Show us!


8. In comparison to the friends that you left in Southern Sudan, what would you say are some of the advantages that you have enjoyed as a migrant student in a foreign land?

There are no educational facilities back at home that you could compare to what we have at our disposal here in Kenya. For me, this is the greatest advantage that students in the Diaspora have. In addition, for a business man like myself, I have had an opportunity to meet with many prospective investors from all over the world because there are many more different nationalities of people found here in Kenya in comparison to the number that you would find in Southern Sudan. I have also had the opportunity to make friends with people that I may have never met if I had stayed at home and not travelled to another country.


9. What are some of the challenges that you experience as a migrant student in a foreign land?

Discrimination: It takes time to settle in a foreign land and to be fully accepted as being deserving of all the privileges and opportunities that are available to the natives of that country. And also, this foreign language is a big, big, big problem. And then we also have the problem of food. Tell me, if a Dinka man comes to your house and you give him githeri to eat, do you really think that he can be comfortable? (Note from the author: Githeri is a traditional delicacy in Kenya. Beans and maize are boiled together, and then fried in tomatoes and onions to make this meal. Sometimes, meat and irish potatoes could also be included.)


10. If you could meet with anyone in the world, who would you want to meet with, and why?

(He locks me in his gaze.)

Former President of Kenya, Daniel Toroitich arap Moi. Now, a person like him, seeing him would be a great honor! In fact, he has done so much for my people. When we were still fighting, he was always travelling to Southern Sudan, and telling our leaders, don’t do like this, do like this, and don’t look behind! He is like my father, and not just my father alone, but the father of all Southern Sudanese. Seeing a man doing such things for us and he is not even a Southern Sudanese, how do you think it makes me feel?!! He has really worked hard to promote development in Southern Sudan. I respect him a lot.


11. What are your goals for the next year and beyond?

(He deflects the question from himself and instead focuses it on the aspirations that he holds for SSSAK – the Southern Sudanese Students’ Association of Kenya.)

Aaaaah, well. We want to give SSSAK more visibility. We want to be better understood and more popular. We shall also carry out several mobile sensitization campaigns that will focus on various issues ranging from prevention of the spread of HIV/AIDS to promoting a culture of environmental consciousness. We also intend to establish a well-structured loaning system for our members who need assistance paying for their education.


12. Parting shot: A message to the Southern Sudanese women back at home.

(My pen fails, and I panic because it dawns on me that I have no other! I curse under my breathe: "Why wasn’t I warned about this in Journalism school??!" He notices my frantic efforts to resuscitate the pen and swings his sleek gold-coated pen at me. I am embarrassed. I apologize profusely for the hitch.)

You know, women are the backbone of our country – Southern Sudan. Their contribution during the war is what made us to go through. And in the same way, their contribution to our current government is what will make our new country to go through. In fact, for example, right now, Maama Rebecca, the wife of the late Dr. John Garang, is the one who is running affairs in our government. The women should take their rightful position as the ones that will educate our men about good leadership and effective development. Do not wait to be given this position; it is already rightfully yours. Just take it. And also, please, if you have not yet attained proper education, go back to school and read. Get education; develop your skills, so that you can be better leaders.


13. Is there anything else that you feel would be important for us to take note of?

My encouragement to the youth in the Diaspora: I encourage unity amongst ourselves. Let us maintain good leadership, and also put in a lot of effort towards attaining quality education. We are privileged to be in school. Let us take maximum advantage of this opportunity, put a lot of commitment, and go back home and show the people the difference that quality education can make. We need to show them tangible results of this education that we keep telling them is so important. And also, most important of all, let us focus on the development of our new nation – Southern Sudan.

For the youth at home: You must cooperate with the government. If the government does not have your support, it will not be very effective at the grassroots. We must use our networks across the ten states to support the government’s efforts politically, socially and economically. Why? Because we command a great majority and we are very influential. If we do not support the government, they will not achieve full success in Southern Sudan. And let us not forget our culture. Who we are; who our people are; where we have come from; and where we intend to go. A people without their culture are a lost people.


(This last question is not part of what I had planned to ask him, but I am persuaded to because Lual’s reputation of being an outstanding chef precedes him by far!)

14. Who taught you to cook as well as you do?

No, those are simple things. It would be much better for us to discuss politics. (He smiles.) I watched my mother cooking when I was a young boy and after I left home and I went to live in another country, I found strange food that you can’t give to a serious Dinka man. So I taught myself how to cook, just the way that I used to see my mother cooking for us. Why should I starve when I cook for myself? You know, on average, 10 to 15 people come to stay with me in my apartment, week-in and week-out. And these are big men, big Southern Sudanese men. Big like me, and some are even bigger than me! (He chuckles.) Now, you tell me, if I do not cook for them good food, do you think that they will ever come back to visit me? (He looks at me intently, and I am not sure whether to respond or not. I choose not to respond.) No, they will not! And if they go and never come back, I will miss out on blessings. When you have visitors coming to your house, those are automatic blessings. Wouldn’t you want these blessings?

(At the end of the interview, we walk out of the restaurant in much the same fashion that we walked in. He walks ahead of me, all the while maintaining a distance of about one meter. I meekly maintain my position behind him. And yes, his phone keeps ringing.)

End//


Theme (s): Migration, Development, Education, Women’s Rights


The author is a humanitarian analyst and she writes on migration. Email her on: msanyu@yahoo.com

IN HONOR OF THE 2011 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY: Six (6) quick facts that draw a link between Migration and Women

(Note from the Author: The photos I have used in this piece are some of the ones that I took at a celebration that was held in Nairobi, Kenya to mark the 2011 International Women’s Day. This year’s theme was: “Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women”.)

Above: LABOUR MIGRATION: Women constitute around 60–80 percent of the export manufacturing workforce in the developing world. (courtesy, World Bank)

Above: FORCED MIGRATION (Refugees): Together, women and children constitute almost 70 percent of those under the care of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees today. (courtesy, UNHCR)

Above: ECONOMIC MIGRATION: Female migrants are increasingly part of flows of migrant workers, moving on their own to become the principal wage earners for their families. (courtesy, Division for the Advancement of Women Department of Economic and Social Affairs United Nations)

Above: LABOUR MIGRATION: It is estimated that if women’s paid employment rates were raised to the same level as men’s, America’s GDP would be 9 percent higher; the euro-zone’s would be 13 percent higher, and Japan’s would be boosted by 16 percent. (courtesy, UNIFEM)

Above: MIGRANTS WITH DISABILITIES: Australia’s migration policy promotes the discrimination of women (men and children) with disabilities owing to what is perceived as the “financial burden” of taking care of them. (courtesy, ISIS International)

Above: ROUTINE MIGRATION: If the average distance to the moon is 394,400 km, South African women together walk the equivalent of a trip to the moon and back 16 times a day to supply their households with water. (courtesy, UNIFEM)


The author is a humanitarian analyst and she writes on migration. Email her on: msanyu@yahoo.com

End//

UGANDA: Ex-combatants struggle to reintegrate in Northern Uganda

by Mary-Sanyu Osire

GULU, 11 March 2011 (VoM) – Behind closed doors, Northern Uganda is referred to as “the place that God forgot”. Over the past two decades, a rebel movement, The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), led by Joseph Kony, has unleashed brutal violence on the local population. Under the command of the rebels, mother has been forced against daughter, nephew against uncle, and neighbour against neighbour. Untold thousands of civilians have been raped, felled by machetes and claimed by bullets.

In addition, approximately two million people – roughly 80% of the total population of Northern Uganda – have been displaced and herded into Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. Upon captivity, young boys have been forcefully indoctrinated and turned into child soldiers, and young girls into sex objects for the warlords. The twenty-year insurgency that started in 1986 has been characterised in international humanitarian circles as “one of the world’s most forgotten crises.”

Today, the war that started in Uganda has spilled over to neighbouring countries: Southern Sudan, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Joseph Kony is still on the run, but a semblance of calm has returned to Northern Uganda.

In a bid to foster peace, the Government of Uganda has on several occasions offered amnesty to the rebels. In exchange for laying their arms down, the ex-combatants are being given full pardon for all crimes committed and have been allowed to come back home. This process, known as Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) has seen many rebels return home. In some circles, this acronym is extended to include another “R” that stands for an additional component known as ‘Rehabilitation’: DDRR.

Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) in Africa

According to Ernest Harsch of Africa Renewal, one of the leading analytical magazines on the socio-economic challenges facing Africa: “DDR programs across Africa show that reintegration is a complex and long-term process. It is fraught with difficulties and depends on the success of wider efforts at economic recovery and political reconciliation.”

The process of Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration is not a new phenomenon in Africa. Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zimbabwe, Burundi, the Central African Republic, and Angola are some of the countries that have rolled out DDR programs similar to the one being run in Northern Uganda. Each of their programs was met with some challenges and Uganda’s DDR program is also experiencing bottlenecks.

The scramble for limited resources

Following the Government’s amnesty, the combatants in Northern Uganda have been returning home in droves. As the ex-combatants reintegrate into society, they continue to face several psycho-social and economic challenges that include stigmatisation, heavy reliance on food aid, endemic poverty, and ongoing trauma related to the war. According to a report commissioned by the Justice and Reconciliation Project, these challenges are often made by worse by limited economic opportunities and low standards of education.

The return of the ex-combatants is coinciding with the return of thousands of displaced Ugandans from crowded IDP camps where they have been living for the last two decades. The internally displaced persons started moving back home in September 2007 after the Ugandan government began closing down camps. This mass influx of returnees has served to exacerbate the smooth reintegration of the ex-combatants, who are now being forced to join in squandering for the meager resources that are available to the local population. One such meager resource is land.

Location: Northern Uganda. This boy is one of the (estd.) 30,000 child soldiers that was forcibly recruited into Joseph Kony's rebel movement. PHOTO CREDIT/invisiblechildren.com

In a recent article published by IRIN, a news agency that provides in-depth analysis of humanitarian developments around the world, it was reported that owing to the large number of returnees, disputes over land in Northern Uganda are escalating. An explosive situation is in the offing with clan turning against clan in a frantic effort to mark their territory. Charles Obwoya, a local resident who was attacked in December last year by members of a rival clan asserted to IRIN: “Here you have to be armed with a spear or machetes because you can’t predict what can happen at any moment.”

Situations like this can in many instances work against the success of a DDR program. Massimo Fusato, a researcher at the University of Colorado and the author of Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration of Ex-Combatants says, “After ex-combatants have been demobilized, their effective and sustainable reintegration into civilian life is necessary to prevent a new escalation of the conflict. In the short term, ex-combatants who do not find peaceful ways of making a living are likely to return to conflict. In the longer term, disaffected veterans can play an important role in destabilizing the social order and polarizing the political debate, becoming easy targets of populist, reactionary, and extremist movements.”

Not ‘DD’ plus ‘R’

According to Mr. Francis Kai-Kai, former head of Sierra Leone’s national DDR committee, “DDR should not just be ‘DD plus R’ with reintegration as an afterthought, but a continuous, integrated process. You don’t just focus on men and weapons, but on their futures as well.”

END//
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Region: Africa, East Africa, Uganda
Theme(s): Migration, DDR(R), Post-conflict reconstruction, IDPs


The author is a humanitarian analyst and she writes on migration. Email her on: msanyu@yahoo.com

SOMALIA: Thousands displaced as nature turns its wrath on local population

by Mary-Sanyu Osire

The drought in Central and Southern Somalia continues to hit hard on the local population. This recurrent situation, compounded by Somalia’s protracted inter-clan fighting, has forced many people to flee from their homes in search of food and water. In recent days, thousands have crossed into neighboring countries.

Implication on neighboring States

Kenya lies to the South West of Somalia. Because it is one of only three neighboring countries, it has had to bear the brunt of accommodating the thousands of fleeing migrants.

UN’s Emergency Relief Coordinator, Valerie Amos, at a press conference this week: “Even as we speak, there are significant urban population movements from [Somalia’s] Hiran and Middle Shabelle regions to Kenya. The new waves of refugees from urban areas in central and southern Somalia will join the more than 430,000 Somalis who have previously fled to Kenya.”

The refugee camps in Kenya are swelling in numbers. This January alone, the country received the largest number of migrants that it has received in a single month over a period of more than two years: 8,000 women, men and children.

According to the latest humanitarian reports, Ethiopia, Somalia’s neighbor to the West, is facing the same exigencies that Kenya is struggling with. There are around 40,000 registered refugees in the Dolo Ado camp (Ethiopia).

Location: North Eastern Kenya, about 100km from the Kenya-Somalia border. A displaced Somali family awaits medical attention at a refugee camp in Dadaab. PHOTO credit/DoctorsWithoutBorders.com

Understanding the situation

UNHCR reports that over the last 20 years, drought and famine have continued to have a devastating effect on the Somalis. Over two million people in Somalia are said to be in need of humanitarian aid because of the ravaging drought and mounting violence.

According to media reports, a recent study conducted by US scientists warned that food crises in the region can only get worse, putting an estimated 17.5 million people at the risk of hunger in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya. The study titled: “More Frequent Drought Likely in Eastern Africa,” blamed the famine on low agricultural development and rapid population growth. It said the increased frequency of drought in Eastern Africa was also due to rising global temperatures.

In a recent interview with IRIN news, a Somali woman who has been displaced by these pressures summed it up this way: “Everything seems to be against us.”


END//


Region: Africa, Horn of Africa, Somalia
Theme(s): Migration, Climate change, Refugees, Relief work

The author is a humanitarian analyst and she writes on migration. Email her on: msanyu@yahoo.com

POEMS FROM A MIGRANT’S DIARY – Ma Chère Italie

This poem is written in French and in English. It is dedicated to the five asylum seekers who lost their lives last week after Italian coastguards are reported to have deliberately rammed into their boat, causing it to split into half. The asylum-seekers were crossing from Tunisia to Egypt. According to one of the survivors, the boat was carrying 120 passengers; 85 people were saved, five died and 30 are still missing. In recent weeks, more than 5,000 asylum seekers from Tunisia have made their way to Italy. Many have lost their lives along the way. This influx of asylum seekers comes against the backdrop of growing civil unrest in Tunisia.

Ma Chère Italie
by Mary-Sanyu Osire

Ma Chère Italie,

Je n’aime pas nager,
Mais je vais nager.

Et je vais marcher;
Et je vais courir;
Et je vais ramper.

Jusqu'à chez toi!

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My Dear Italy
by Mary-Sanyu Osire

My Dear Italy,

I do not like to swim,
But I am going to swim.

And I am going to walk;
And I am going to run;
And I am going to crawl.

Until I get to you!

----------------------------------

(The author is a humanitarian analyst and she writes on migration. Email her on: msanyu@yahoo.com)

WEEKLY HUMANITARIAN BULLETIN: Migration Concerns in Kenya (14 – 18 February 2011)

by Mary-Sanyu Osire

This is a technical document, and in order to derive maximum value from its content, it may require the reader to have some programmatic understanding of migration issues.


WEEKLY HUMANITARIAN BULLETIN
Migration Concerns in Kenya (Africa, East Africa)
14-18 February 2011


>> KEY OVERALL DEVELOPMENTS

1) Forced Migration: Climate Change Refugees: Cross-border and internal movement of persons from drought-struck regions

In order to cope with the drought that is ravaging North Eastern Kenya, some pastoralist communities from the region crossed into Uganda with their cattle, in search of pastures and water. But their visit was short-lived after there was cholera outbreak in Uganda, and they were forced to return. This community represents Kenya’s latest Climate Change refugees. According to media reports, water pans have dried up and many boreholes are breaking down due to overuse. Several schools could be closed – it is reported that 14,000 students may drop out of school if the Government does not beef up its school feeding programs in the region. The Government of Kenya is involved in some drought mitigation activities, which include supply of water. It has also deployed a rapid response team to the area that will repair broken down boreholes and other water projects. Meanwhile, in Turkana, one person has been killed and another injured in a clash between Kenyan herders and cattle rustlers from Uganda.

IMPACT ON PROGRAMMING: In order to mitigate the impact of climate change on the pastoralist communities in North Eastern Kenya, there is an urgent need for climate change adaptation projects that will help the communities invest in alternate sources of livelihood. In addition, inter-state programs could be initiated that are aimed at facilitating the cross-border mobility of the pastoralists, and ensuring the security of the communities as they migrate. Owing to the increasing pressure on land and resources that the migrants impose on the communities that they move to, peace building programs should also be tailored into the projects.

2) Forced Migration: IDPs agitate for permanent housing

At the beginning of the month, the Government of Kenya reported that in order to pave way for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) from the 2007/2008 post-election violence to move into the 1,630 houses that it is constructing, the camps in the North Rift would be demolished by the end of this month (February). This week, some IDPs from Alko camp on the Nakuru-Eldoret highway led a mass demonstration to protest what they termed as “negligence” by the government and starvation in the camps. In other news, amidst accusations of the Government favouring certain communities in the Teldet Forest resettlement program, the Government has reported that it will buy land to resettle the 382 families in Teldet Camp. Thereafter, it will embark on the same program for the 105 displaced families in Patakwa. The families were evicted from Teldet Camp three years ago.

IMPACT ON PROGRAMMING: Programming geared towards the IDPs should focus on providing logistical support, psychosocial support, and working with the Government to ensure effective reintegration and the creation of an environment that would support long-term peace building and reconciliation efforts.

3) Regulating migration/Mixed migration: Human smuggling: Number of irregular migrants on the rise

This week, the arrest of 41 illegal migrants of Somali descent and 8 illegal migrants of Ethiopian descent served to fuel concerns about the growing of number of irregular migrants in Kenya.

IMPACT ON PROGRAMMING: Projects aimed at capacity building for migration management should continue to enhance the capacity of migration officers to regulate cross-border movement along the porous Kenya-Somalia border. The country of source should also be targeted for counter-human trafficking awareness campaigns.

Map credit/Google Images

4) Regulating migration: Capacity building in migration management: Piracy off the coast of Kenya’s shores

Media reports indicated that East Africa anti-piracy agents will be trained by Interpol to improve their forensic and investigative capacity in a new effort to curb cases of piracy in the Indian Ocean. A gap analysis conducted by Interpol identified three critical development needs in East Africa’s maritime field: Forensic facilities; Criminal investigations and Analytical capabilities.

IMPACT ON PROGRAMMING: This intervention comes at a time when Somali pirates have been travelling southwards of the Indian Ocean and towards the Gulf of Oman because of the heavy presence of international warships patrolling the Gulf of Aden. Programming should focus on training Somali youth on commercial skills that would allow for alternate means of livelihood. Furthermore, programs should also focus on building the capacity of East Africa’s anti-piracy agents to fight the piracy vice.


5) Migration and development: Return of qualified nationals: Most Kenyans in UK ‘want to come home’

Last week, Kenyans in the Diaspora expressed their interest in joining the race for positions in the next General Election. This week, the findings of a survey conducted by the Government of Kenya’s Ministry of Labour and the International Organization for Migration (Kenya country office) revealed that 80% of Kenyans residing in the UK want to return home permanently. In other news, a Labour Migration Unit that has been opened in the Ministry of Labour. The Unit was opened because of the need to protect Kenyans travelling, working and living abroad.

IMPACT ON PROGRAMMING: Programming should focus on encouraging the return of qualified nationals and helping them to reintegrate once they return home. The relevant arms of the Government should be thoroughly trained on managing returnee data collection and analysis. Furthermore, the returnees who require marketable skills training should be taken through the training in order to enhance the success of the reintegration program. Minority returnees (like the disabled) should have specific programs tailored to meet their unique needs.


>> RESPONSE PRIORITIES

The response priorities at this point in time cover: i) Climate Change adaptation for pastoralist communities in Kenya; ii) Controlling of human smuggling; ii) Resettlement of the post-election violence IDPs; iv) Piracy off the coast of the Indian Ocean and in the Gulf of Aden; v) the Return of qualified nationals.

Suggested interventions include:

Climate Change adaptation for pastoralist communities in Kenya: Rehabilitation of strategic boreholes; Supporting pastoralists to purchase camels because they survive much better in arid conditions than cattle do; Mass veterinary treatment/vaccination programs because weakened livestock are much more susceptible to disease; Fodder production and distribution; Scaling up food aid and nutrition intervention areas, as appropriate; Cash-for-money projects in key affected areas; Facilitating the cross-border mobility of the pastoralists.

Controlling of human smuggling: Anti-human smuggling awareness campaigns; strengthening border controls; Addressing the root causes of human smuggling amongst the community from the source country.

Resettlement of the post-election violence IDPs: Working hand-in-hand with the Government in order to provide permanent shelter; Long-term peace building and reintegration programs; Psycho social support; Offer livelihood opportunities; Logistical support.

Piracy off the coast of the Indian Ocean and in the Gulf of Aden: Strengthened capacity for the region’s anti-piracy agents; Alternative means of livelihood for Somali youth in order to deter them from engaging in piracy.

The Return of qualified nationals: Addressing the causes of brain drain; Strengthening the capacity of the recently established labour Migration Unit within Kenya’s Ministry of Labour; Designing attractive reintegration packages for emigrants; Linking nationals in the Diaspora to opportunities at home (including opportunities to give back to the society, opportunities for investment, etc.).


>> ANTICIPATED CHALLENGES

Climate Change adaptation for pastoralist communities in Kenya: An increase in resource-based conflict owing to the pressure that the nomads exert on the communities that host them; Increased displacement due to food insecurity may occur.

Controlling of human smuggling: Porous borders owing to limited security personnel; Migration officers’ capacity to respond to such incidents; Limited access to the most-at-risk communities in the country of source; Migration routes keep changing; It is a very ad hoc activity that is hard to anticipate; Corrupt elements at the border points who collude with smugglers.

Resettlement of the post-election violence IDPs: Highly political and sensational nature of the subject of the post-election IDPs; Limited ability to determine the genuine IDPs from the people that are just taking advantage of the situation.

Piracy off the coast of the Indian Ocean and in the Gulf of Aden: Inadequate infrastructure amongst Kenya’s anti-piracy agents; Limited access to the most-at-risk communities in the country of source.

The Return of qualified nationals: The nationals in the Diaspora have little faith in the Government’s capacity to deliver on basic social amenities.

END//


The author is a humanitarian analyst and she writes on migration. Email her on: msanyu@yahoo.com

POEMS FROM A MIGRANT’S DIARY – Qui étés-vous?

This poem is written in French and in English. It is dedicated to young migrants who are forced to take up new ways and form new identities in order to keep from antagonizing their host communities. They struggle daily to make sense of the socio-cultural pressures that engulf them in their new found homes.

(Ce poème est d’un garçon qui s’appelle Mohamed. Il immigre en autre pays avec ses parents. Il vient de Djibouti.)

Qui étés-vous?
by Mary-Sanyu Osire

Je ne sais pas.

À Djibouti, je m’appelle Mohamed.
Ici, je m’appelle Moses.

À Djibouti, je vais à la mosquée.
Ici, je vais à l’église.

À Djibouti, j’ai beaucoup d’amis.
Ici, je n’ai d’amis.

Qui je suis?
Moi, je ne sais pas.
Quand vous me regardez,
Que regardez-vous ?

------------------------------

(This poem is about a boy called Mohamed. He migrated to another country with his parents. He is from Djibouti.)

Who are you?
by Mary-Sanyu Osire

I do not know.

In Djibouti, I am called Mohamed.
Here, I am called Moses.

In Djibouti, I go the mosque.
Here, I go to the church.

In Djibouti, I have many friends.
Here, I have no friends.

Who am I?
I do not know.
When you look at me,
Who do you see?

------------------------------

The author is a humanitarian analyst and she writes on migration. Email her on: msanyu@yahoo.com

WOMEN AND MIGRATION: Embracing the gender dimension of migration

by Mary-Sanyu Osire

“Madam,” Amiina calls out to the Caucasian lady who has just walked through the gate. Amiina’s right hand disappears into her guntiino (the traditional dress that Somali women wear) and it hastily resurfaces with a piece of paper in firm grip. With great stealth, she scoots the bewildered visitor into a corner and starts to bombard her with requests.

“We need a visa; we fear for our lives; these are my children,” she turns round, but there is no one by her side. She swings her head to the right-hand side of the compound and throws a glaring look at the five children who are huddled in a far corner. One glance is all it takes. They scuttle to her side.

She animates her voice, raising it and lowering it, each time to emphasize different parts of her story. Amiina’s voice fades off as I walk further away.

I am at a transit centre in Nairobi, Kenya. Transit centers are places that are built to accommodate refugees as they await possible movement to countries that are willing to absorb them. With an approximate number of 440,000 refugees, Kenya hosts the fifth largest number of refugees in the world.

According to the latest World Migration report, there were an estimated 214 million international migrants in the world in 2010, a figure that represents an increase of almost 40 million in the first decade of the 21st century, and over double the number of international migrants in 1980.

In Africa, female migrants like Amiina are said to comprise 46 per cent of all migration, and according to the International Organization for Migration, this figure is set to increase. Yet women are generally neglected in migration studies; they are mostly seen as the people that are left behind, and in some cases are viewed as mere add-ons to male migration.

Amiina, and other female migrants like her, introduce the aspect of gender considerations into discussions about migration. Gender, in its simplest sense, refers to the characteristics that distinguish a man from a woman in a given society. These roles are acquired during the socialization period. The gender aspect of migration is very complex and it highlights the different reasons why women and men move, the process of migration, and the varying social, political and economic environments that each of the sexes encounter in their countries of destination.

"Stop Violence Against Migrant Women!" PHOTO/Migrante International

Around the world, the question of gender is taking centre stage in many fora, and Africa is not being left behind. In February 2009, the African Union (AU) adopted the AU Gender Policy. Prior to this, the AU had adopted several other important gender-related documents, including Article 4(1) of the Constitutive Act of the African Union, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, and the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa. These policies are aimed at accelerating MDG 3 which highlights Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment.

Humanitarian actors in Africa are also active participants in the gender deliberations. Here in Kenya, against the backdrop of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and following year-long consultations with national stakeholders, the United Nations (UN) system in Kenya recently embarked on a joint gender mainstreaming program. Signed into force towards the end of 2010 by 14 of the 17 UN bodies resident in Kenya, ‘The UN Joint Program on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment’ is aimed at mapping and promoting enhanced coordination of the UN systems support to national priorities in the area of gender equality and women’s empowerment in Kenya.

As the gender movement continues to gain momentum around the world, research in the field of migration and its gender dimension is advancing. This notwithstanding, much more remains to be understood about this complex issue. Very little, for example is known about what determines female migration, the new migration pressures for women and girls and the specific migration routes that they prefer to use. To this day the patterns of female migration remain scantily researched and inadequately understood.

With specific regard to female labor migrants, Gloria Moreno Fontes, a migration specialist with ILO Migration Branch, notes:

“Besides being subject to sometimes very harsh working and living conditions, migrant women workers are in some instances prohibited from marrying with local citizens, lose their jobs if they become pregnant, and are subject to pregnancy tests every six months. It is not only their status as female and non-nationals that puts women migrants in a vulnerable situation, but also the type of work they engage in. They find themselves incorporated into an already disadvantageous labour market for women, and these disadvantages intensify in the case of migrant women, especially for those who are undocumented.”

Female migrants like Amiina can no longer be ignored or clustered into one homogenous group with men because their needs are very distinct from the needs of the men. Policy makers and various stakeholders ought to be mindful of these dynamics as they shape migrant laws, and as they work towards capitalizing on the benefits that come from the migration of women.


The author is a humanitarian analyst and she writes on migration. Email her on: msanyu@yahoo.com

ASPIRATIONS ARE GOOD, BUT CAN THEY FEED A NATION? : Preparing Southern Sudan for the assimilation of her returnees

by Mary-Sanyu Osire


I shifted uneasily in my chair. It was hard to ignore the heading. It jumped off the newspaper and came right at me: “Humanitarian crisis looms as Sudanese return home”.

My mind drifted back to the previous weekend. Lual, one of my closest friends, had invited me to join him and other Southern Sudanese to celebrate the preliminary outcome of the referendum. We danced the night away in his small apartment. Between the merriment he turned to me; sweat flowing down his forehead, teeth glittering, eyes white as snow, and proclaimed: “This is what we fought for! This is what the blood was shed for! We are the new generation, and Southern Sudan is ours!”

He then floated across the room like a butterfly, moving in rhythm to the pulsating beats that were blaring from his speakers.

That night, I can swear that I heard in Lual’s voice, I felt in his touch, and I saw in his eyes the hopes and aspirations of the 8 million people who live in Southern Sudan.

"Southern Sudan is ours!" PHOTO/Tim Freccia

According to recent reports from two humanitarian aid agencies, International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Oxfam, the influx of returning Southern Sudanese is placing insurmountable strain on local communities who are already facing a shortage of basic amenities like food, water and healthcare. The two agencies reported that the situation is getting worse, and called for more attention to protect and aid civilians.

Susan Purdin, IRC’s country director in Southern Sudan: “We have an unfolding humanitarian crisis. There’s the potential for mass displacement, an upsurge in political and ethnic violence and a larger scale humanitarian emergency.”

In a snapshot, this is the current situation in Southern Sudan: 83% of Southern Sudanese live in rural areas; One out of every two Southern Sudanese lives beneath the poverty line; It is one of the poorest and least developed places on earth; Millions are dependent on food aid; Less than half the population has access to clean drinking water; Maternal mortality rates are among the worst in the world; and One in seven children dies before the age of five.

As the humanitarian aid agencies work hard to address a situation that has seen some of the returning Southern Sudanese arriving with hardly any financial support system and camping in makeshift transit centers, I would like to offer my two cents worth of advice to the policy makers in Juba.

Consider this, as you work towards assimilating the returnees:

1) Sensitize the Southern Sudanese in the Diaspora about the migration services that are available to them:

The Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) may want to consider partnering with some of the organizations that deal specifically with the movement of migrants from one country to another. With assistance from these organizations, the migrants could get help with the facilitation of their travel arrangements. This may include free bookings on commercial flights, transit permissions, escorts to transit points, as well as transit and reception assistance and onward transportation services. It is important to note that in some instances, not all migrants are eligible for these services. Restrictions may be set on migrants who, for example, are not asylum seekers in the countries in which they reside. Often, migration experts refer to this program as Assisted Voluntary Return, though this title may change from one organization to the next.

2) Conduct pre-departure information meetings:

Working through their foreign mission offices and/or with assistance from non-governmental organizations that help migrants to relocate, the government could start to conduct pre-departure information meetings for their populations in the Diaspora. These meetings would be for the purpose of disseminating factual, objective and accurate information about the situation on the ground, and the socio-economic dynamics at a micro- and macro-level. It would serve the purpose of taming some of the unrealistic expectations from citizenry who may expect much more from the young government than it may be in a position to deliver. These meetings could also be used to prepare the migrants for such probable eventualities as a rise in the price of commodities in Southern Sudan (owing to the sudden surge in their numbers) and in addition, could be used as a platform to discuss the probable strain in cultural adaptation as the migrants struggle to align the values of their past life in the Diaspora to the heritage that they will find when they return home. This cultural adaptation session may be more critical for the younger generation, some of whom could be returning home for the first time since they were born.


3) GoSS should support the work of the non-governmental organizations that are committed to rebuilding communities:

The ramifications of the two civil wars that ran for over 20 years left little for the region by way of social amenities. Over the years, re-construction of structures like schools, roads and hospitals has started. And now, with the influx of returning Southern Sudanese, the government shall need to step up its efforts to rebuild these amenities. The non-governmental organizations that are already on the ground could help the local population not only rebuild their homes but also their lives, through the provision of livelihood support mechanisms like offering training in short courses tailored to alternative means of survival.

4) Offer medical trainings on outbreak investigation and response:

Poor access to health care and lack of medical supplies contributes to the high risk of outbreaks of communicable diseases like measles, cholera and diarrhea. These and other vaccine preventable diseases should be detected early and reported in a timely and accurate fashion in order to mitigate against high risks of outbreaks. The GoSS should work closely with health partners to offer medical trainings on outbreak investigation and response. Against the backdrop of inadequate medical facilities, this matter should be treated with all the seriousness that it deserves. Furthermore, with the flood of returnees, it is possible that some communicable diseases may be carried across the borders and back to South Sudan.

In conclusion, only the Southern Sudanese know what is best for them. And humanitarian aid workers are only meant to support the work of the ruling government and the will of the local population, not to create parallel systems of operation. These suggestions are subject to the wisdom of the policy makers in Juba.

I wish my friend Lual, and all the people of Southern Sudan, the very best of all good fortune as they embark on this monumental journey. I can only imagine the degree of excitement that you carry in your bellies. Yet I find myself forced to remind you that aspiration is good, but it can not feed a hungry man, clothe a naked child, or take a woman’s child to school. Plan, plan, and plan some more. Plan all the way to the end. And after that, plan even a little bit more.


The author is a humanitarian analyst and she writes on migration. Email her on: msanyu@yahoo.com

CLIMATE CHANGE: Redefining the push factors of forced migration

by Mary-Sanyu Osire

Climate change means different things to different people.

To 26 year old Ben Namakin, an environmental activist from the small island nation of Micronesia, it means this: “Climate change for me is a matter of life and death for my people.”

If predictions from scientists who study climate change are to come true, Ben Namakin’s could be the first island nation to be swallowed up by waters.

The term climate change refers to long-term alterations in the weather patterns of a given area. It can take thousands and even millions of years to change the climate of an area.

In this regard, around the world, owing to a long-term increase in human activities that produce gases that destroy the earth’s natural abilities to moderate its own climate, many negative changes in weather conditions are starting to be seen (IE: Climate Change). Experts predict that the situation is likely to get worse if nothing is done to urgently reverse the trend of these non-sustainable, non-environmentally friendly human activities.

Small island states like Ben Namakin’s often do the least to propagate climate change yet end up bearing its brunt.

The Federal States of Micronesia may be the first island nation(s) to be submerged by waters. PHOTO/Google Images

On islands like Ben’s, the primary reason for displacement of people is environmental changes that culminate in typhoons, mudslides, wave surges, flooding or even severe droughts. When these climate-induced disasters occur, it often leads to the mass exodus of communities.

Amongst migration experts, this imposed movement is referred to as “forced migration”. It is also called “deracination” which is originally a French word that means ‘to uproot’.

Today, tens of millions of forced migrants live around the world. The factors that lead to forced migration vary greatly and could include: repressive regimes, conflict, developmental policies and changes in the environment.

Working closely with the government and other regional and international stakeholders, humanitarian organizations that are concerned with the safe movement of the forced migrants on island's like Ben's offer the inhabitants intervention services, emergency relief and reconstruction assistance. The kind of support that these organizations offer could range from building of dams to reconstruction of public and private infrastructure.

As the humanitarian organizations continue to develop intervention strategies for these most-at-risk communities, I would like to urge the scholars of this day to give some serious thought to what impact climate change is having on the migration trends of our generation. In my humble opinion, this phenomenon is being given much less "credit" than it deserves.


The author is a humanitarian analyst and she writes on migration. Email her on: msanyu@yahoo.com