Reconciliation of Refugees Returning from Exile.

Introduction

This is the IPB September 2021 narrative report of meeting organized with Musaga Secondary school I & II peace club at the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year on September 20, 2021. There were seventy one (71) participants including thirty nine (39) females and thirty two (32) males. 

It aims at welcoming returnees from the exile mainly in Rwanda attending this school for the 2021-2022 school year.

It was also an occasion to evaluate what accomplishment needed for those returnees for effective reintegration at school as well as in their community.

Representatives of returnees appreciated to see the peace club focusing on trauma healing and social cohesion. One of their representative made a brief presentation on how life looks like in refugee camp. He recognized that they experienced trauma there and wish to get psychological assistance too.

 Some Key success stories

Evelyne

I was taken care by my grandmother since my little age due to the fact that my parent never married each other legally. Fleeing to Rwanda, I knew that my father went there.

Reaching there, his wife didn’t want me to live in their quarter. I live there as an orphan. This re-wounded me more and more.

Life is even not easy here as I find my grandmother has died. I’m glad to meet a peace club here, I wish I should be accepted to be part of it. This may give me a channel where I should be sharing my burden of each day.

Thank you all

Jeanine

I lost my mother when I was still little child. We grew up with more problems with my young sister. Being refugees came to worsen the situation. When we reach Burundi, learnt that my young sister is pregnant at 17 years old and my father chased her from our home. Since then my father lost confidence in myself saying I will be like my young sister. I don’t believe, I will continue to pay school fees for me?

I wish I should have time for trauma healing and be like my classmates whom I find joyful and peaceful. Always with a smile which is different to my behavior of being troubled all the time.

Thank you

Gisele

 Life in refugee camp was so tough due to the life of suffient food and water. All things are given at a very law quantity even wood for cooking. The subject there is only politic of division.

Life there was very hard even here after six year outside the country. We don’t see how we should reach where we were before fleeing. We don’t get enough food as it was in refugee’s camp. I don’t think we should adjust the life as those who stayed within the country.

We need help for years.

Reported by Elie Nahimana

Project leader

On September 30, 2021