I almost lost my childhood

14-year-old Fartun, began her journey to life as a refugee in January 2009, when she was just eight years old. She tells her story as if it happened yesterday.

“I was born in a city called Mogadishu in our country Somalia but our rural home is in Kismayu. Life in the city was good to me. I used to play with my friends. Our house had a lot of trees planted there. We had a big sitting room and we had piped water. I ate bread, anjera (a flat soft large bread) meat, makande (made from smashed bananas mixed with wheat flour) and sometime ugali (a dish of maize flour, mixed with water to a porridge like consistency).

Life in the city was good to me. I used to play with my friends.

My father worked in Mogadishu. He used to make electricity for people (electrician) and also fixed telephone in peoples’ houses. He also repaired generators. He used to give me money to buy Pipi (sweets). He also bought many clothes for me and my brother and sisters. My mother was at home to cook for us good food and to bathe us.

One time mother told us that we had to leave Somalia and run away because there was fighting. We prepared our luggage for one week then we left. I did not see some of my relatives or say bye to them. But we came with some of my friends.

I did not see some of my relatives or say bye to them. But we came with some of my friends.

We got into a lorry and travelled to Kenya. The lorry was full of people with their goods. I was suffocating, but my mother carried me most of the times. My younger sister cried most of the times. Other children cried too. The journey took us two days and one night. We reached Kakuma in the evening. Many other people whom I had not seen before had come there too. They travelled in lorries.

Kakuma was strange to me. We did not have good food anymore. My parents lined up to get food for the family from a place where the food was being distributed. It took them so long to get back home. We waited for them hungrily. The food was different from what we were eating in Somalia. Sometimes my parents sold part of the food to buy other things like clothes or different foods for our younger children. Getting food and clothes here is a problem. We have a family size of eight. We are given food that is enough for family size eight but sometimes it ends before the next ration.

Sometimes my parents sold part of the food to buy other things like clothes or different foods for our younger children.

The thing I like in this place is that I can go to school again. We are also very lucky. My mother has got a small job with World Vision. She cleans the food centre. We get more clothes and good food since she started working there. World Vision also gives many people food at the centre.

I don’t want to go back to Somalia for now. I hear and watch on television that people are still fighting there. We can only go back if there is peace. But if there is chaos, no, never! The schools here in Kakuma are good and our teachers teach us well. We get food in school and we are peaceful here. Please bring peace and let chaos end.

We can only go back if there is peace. But if there is chaos, no, never! 

If I am not able to return home, life will just continue here in Kakuma. We go to school and life is good. I want to be a doctor in future. That is why I want to keep on studying. I do well in class and I know I will be a doctor. In term one I was position six out of 160 pupils in my class, which is class Six Blue. This term we did an exam but I missed others because I was sick. I had swellings on my face, and I have not healed well. I am sure I am going to perform well in the end term exams.

World Vision Kenya currently works in Kakuma Refugee camp doing general food distribution. World Vision has also started a disability program and has invested in Early Childhood Education, enhanced access to WASH facilities and is promoting renewable energy for use in the household lighting and cooking.