Drew's African Odyssey - Mwange Refugee Camp, Zambia

A great day today!! We organized a Coach appreciation day at the camp today for all Right to Play coaches to thank them for all the volunteer work they have been doing in the camp. We bought 6 chickens, a goat, lots of beans, tomatoes, flour and oil. We also organized for soft drinks to be brought from Kasama – a big treat for the refugees! I arrived a little bit late to the party, which was a big mistake as everybody was waiting for me to bring the battery (a car battery is the only available source of power), so that the dancing could begin. The Congolese absolutely love to dance, anything from Rhumba, reggae, and everything in between… And yes, I even joined in on the dance, much to the amusement of the coaches who kindly laughed at my style of dance and then got up and joined me in the festivities!

The party was a great chance for me to speak with the people about their personal stories – something I relish hearing. One of the coaches, who is also a volunteer with the Red Cross, has been living and volunteering in the camp since its inception in 1999. He came with his wife and family who had fled the Congo due to violence in his village. Some of his wife’s family had been killed in the fighting and his home had been looted on several occasions by rebel soldiers. Not to mention that his family was starving and all his crops had been burned… He hopes to return to his village one day, but for now is still recovering in the peaceful confines of the refugee camp…

Immediately after the party ended, I loaded into the truck to drive to Kasama. I was accompanied by my friend Emmanuel, who I had met a few days previously and is the brother of our deceased guard Chanda. He asked me for a ride back to Kasama as he had come to Mporokoso to attend to the family of Chanda and was returning to school in Kasama. The least I could do was give him a ride, which would save him a 3 day walk back to Kasama. My friend Tony also came with us… I was disappointed because Tony decided to leave Mporokoso to go back to Kitwe where his extended family was living…

Posted by: Drew Gardiner / 8:49 AM