A place called Hongkong

I was met by the driver at the little airport. The heat was intense and we opened the car windows for a bit of cool air. As we drove the 90 km to Kakuma, Alpha the driver and a local Turkana, gave some local information. he explained which colour beads a Turkana woman wears when married etc, when we passed a group on Turkanan women walking at the side of the road. The view was desolate and very dry - it rained two months ago. He showed the camels, cattle and goats as we pass them grazing in the interior under the acacia trees, dotted all over. We were stopped twice by police check points but it seems that they know Alpha. I stood watching a herd of fat-tailed sheep been herded pass by three Turkana men into the arid interior, while a flat tire was being fixed. We had to wait for the next car to come, as we had no jack in the car. That took about 15 minutes.

The camp staff received me with wonderful hospitality and the camp coordinator for NCCK arranged for a guide (Mark - a Sudanese refugee), and a driver (Bob - a Kenyan) the next day. I was taken through the whole camp (about 12 square meters). All four Phases, introduced to many many people, shown the housing arrangements, had a meal in a camp hotel run and owned by a Somali refugee and drank the best coffee I have tasted in a long time in an Eritrean refugee shop. I saw the Reception center and witnessed an arrival where the family were given their mats, blankets etc. and shown where to sleep for the night in the reception camp before they will be allocated a place in Phase 4. There they will live in UNHCR tents while they build their house I saw the administration, settling in, training (IT, sewing etc.) and observed the daily routine of the camp. Housing is supplied by an agreement with the refugee building the walls - standard size and NCCK giving the roof.I saw the food distribution by WFP. This is given on producing the ration card (given at reception on arrival).

I also met some of the Lost Boys of Sudan who arrived as small boys in 1992 and are still in the camp. They are now in their thirties. The area they were placed, then a section on the edge of the camp, was where the minors were placed. They were all grouped together. After a while this resulted in them starting to fight. The "stick-fighting" way. The two opponents will fight in a sparring fashion with wooden sticks (about spear length). The camp authorities thought that this was not good for harmony as it urged the Boys into opposing groups supporting their fighting champion. The camp officials arranged meetings with the Boys. They were told that "this kind of fighting with sticks are done in China - like kung-fu fighting. This should not happen in Kakuma - it is not China".
The Boys promtly named the area they were settled: "Hongkong".