At first glance, the refugee camp resembles
a model town, better equipped than any of its neighboring villages. It
boast a hospital run by Médecins Sans Frontières-Switzerland, good schools
and clean wells. In the middle of the camp is a community center that hosts
a variety of events. Sturdy brick and clay houses are joined together by
spacious dirt roads.
However, the unfortunate and often disturbing
stories of what the refugees have had to live through reveals a harsher
reality. Most fled their home villages with only a few belongings. Some
were separated from family members and don't know if their loved ones are
still alive. Others witnessed atrocities carried out by rebel and military
forces in their home countries. While amputees are physical evidence of
the traumas endured, the amount of psychological suffering remains inexpressible.
Several organizations are present in the camp to improve the refugee's livelihoods. Among these organizations, the UN World Food Program is highly involved. The WFP food aid is organized under the Protracted Relief and Recovery Program which covers refugees in Sembakounya and Guinea's six other camps.
WFP's largest contribution is the general distribution. The refugees receive a monthly ration of commodities that provides sufficient caloric energy and essential nutrients. Each month, WFP distributes over one hundred tons of food. HCR and WFP have joined together with several implementing partner organizations to assure that the distribution proceeds smoothly.
Help for the Most Vulnerable
Apart from the general distribution which covers all assisted refugees, WFP carries out some more targeted programs. Since women and children have special nutritional needs, WFP has elected to assist these groups, in particular during the crucial months of pregnancy and six months after birth. The therapeutic and supplementary feeding programs are carried out jointly with MSF at the Cellule de Recuperation et d'Education Nutritionnelle (CREN). The center is especially designed to assist expecting and nursing mothers as well as to treat and take preventive measures against malnutrition. In the absence of adequate care in the neighboring villages, MSF cares for Guineans and refugees alike at all of their facilities. Access to such care contributes to lowering potential strains between the refugee and local population.
Once a week, malnourished children come to the center for growth monitoring, iron and folic acid supplements, and a dry ration of food donated by WFP to complement their diet.
The program has been successful. Today, only a dozen children are identified as malnourished compared to at least the double last year. On Thursdays and Fridays, expecting and nursing mothers convene at the CREN. The MSF doctor follows up on their pregnancies. All toddlers are weighed; the doctor sends a few mothers to the hospital to vaccinate their children. Before receiving their ration of pre-mixed corn-soya blend and sugar, the mothers are educated on such topics as balanced diet, hygiene, and breast-feeding and weaning practices.
Welcoming the Camp's Newcomers
A short walk from the CREN is Pastor William's complex. Pastor Williams hosts a range of activities. Apart from being responsible for the church and organizing various courses, he runs a library and a counseling center and provides assistance to vulnerable people. In his complex he also accommodates the newly arrived refugees.
Despite the fact that the camp is about to close in a few months, new Liberian refugees still find their way to Sembakounya. Most have come to join their family members that already reside in the camp. They have traveled far and endured difficult situations prior to reaching the camp. WFP feeds the newly arrived with hot meals for three days cooked by the implementing partner Première Urgence. UNHCR and the Bureau de Coordination de Refugiés (BCR) jointly conduct interviews with the newcomers to verify that they are refugees in need of assistance. Once granted the refugee status, the person enjoys HCR protection and benefits from the aid given by WFP and its partner organizations. After the interviews, the refugees are given a ration card by HCR as well as a cooking set and other necessities.
Sierra Leoneans Return Home
While Liberians still seek assistance in the camp, Sierra Leoneans are returning home. Convoys leave Sembakounya weekly to transport the refugees back to Sierra Leone. Also during the repatriation process, WFP is present and assists. In order to help the refugees resettle in their country, WFP donates four months of food rations and HCR provides non-food necessities and a travel allowance to the repatriated refugees. The return package is designed to serve as a pull factor in the repatriation process. While some Sierra Leoneans feel obliged to return to rebuild their country, others are less enthusiastic to leave the safety of the camp.
Due to the extended conflicts in neighboring Sierra Leone and Liberia, the refugee camp has become a long-term rather than a temporary solution for many of the inhabitants. This fact poses a humanitarian problem for WFP. While it is WFP's duty to provide the refugees with the necessities, it is against the organization's objective to create aid dependency. In order to help solve this problem, FAO has invested in a study to determine the degree of self-reliance among the refugees. With the information, WFP could then improve its programs.
The Sembakounya camp is one of the smaller refugee camps in Guinea but it resembles the others in most aspects. In all camps, a multitude of NGOs, government and multinational organizations cooperate to provide not only the basic material necessities but also opportunities for the refugees to develop intellectually and gain vocational skills. With its expertise in food security, WFP plays a key role in the group effort to improve the livelihoods of refugees.
-- Written by Sophie Hoas, WFP-Guinea, April 2003