Republic of Congo - Refugees from DRC

In February 2010, UNICEF brought me to the north of Republic of Congo, to report on the situation of refugees. Here are some of the reports from that trip.

Republic of Congo - Refugees from DRC flood Likouala

The province of Likouala in northern Republic of Congo, is home yet again to tens of thousands of refugees from neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees estimates so far that 117,000 thousand refugees have crossed the Ubangi River from the Democratic Republic of Congo into the Betou and Impfondo districts in the north of the Republic of Congo.

Many of these refugees were previously in the Republic of Congo for as long as 10 years. They fled the violence of the DRC’s Civil war and continued instability until DRC’s elections in 2006. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees officially completely their repatriation to DRC in 2008.

But Last October, clashes between the Boba and Lobala ethnic groups over access to farming and fishing rights in the area of Dongo in the DRC has again left many dead, wounded and tens of thousands running back to safety in the Republic of Congo.

While the DRC Government says it is safe to return home, the refugees are doubtful. Yet, living as a Refugee in Republic of Congo, is rife with it’s own challenges.

You can watch the entire FOCUS programme on this subject on France24
In English:
http://www.france24.com/en/20100302-life-in-limbo-for-DRC-refugees
In French:
http://www.france24.com/fr/20100302-focus-congo-la-crise-des-refugies-congolais-kinshasa-brazzaville-afrique

Video Produced for France 24:





Video Produced for UNICEF on the situation of education for refugee children in Likouala:

On World AIDS Day, MSF is asking nine drug companies to listen to the millions without access to adequate AIDS treatment.

Gilliam 2009

UNICEF celebrates 20 years of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Listen to 20 kids tell us their rights in Cape Town, South Africa!

Gilliam/UNICEF 2009

Kinshasa Music

In Kinshasa I met up with Mark Nunn and Joe Herrmann recording Ocean de la Clef, a band of young super-talented Kinois, working on a CD addressing various social issues for Christian AID. We collaborated for an afternoon and this is what we came up with. The song is SAVE, and talks about using condoms, but also about general access to medical care to know your status, take your meds and general watch out for yourself. Enjoy the music!

Ireland's Dustin the Turkey visits South Africa

Household name Dustin the Turkey visited South Africa from Ireland to investigate Early Childhood Development in KwaZuluNatal. The ECD programme of the LETCEE NGO is being used as a best model practice by UNICEF. This was good fun - the kids loved Dustin and KwazuluNatal is breathtaking!

A piece for UNICEF website and UNIFEED.

Cameroon - Silent Emergency

May 2009 trip to Cameroon with UNICEF, a silent emergency in Eastern Cameroon.

On the surface, the Refugee situation in Eastern Cameroon looks like a success.  Since 2002, over 60,000 Central African Refugees have been integrated into Cameroonian communities.  There are no refugee camps, and there is a peaceful co-existence between Cameroonian and Central African.  These Central African Refugees are fleeing kidnappings and killings by groups of armed men and bandits from various Central African Republic ex-military groups as well as rebels fleeing the Chadian conflict to the North. 

Click here to Watch the Video on YOUTUBE.

Ivory Coast May 2009

In May I went to Ivory Coast with UNICEF to cover the Tetanus Vaccination Campaign"

Sabra Seydou arrived at the Abobo Kennedy clinic in Abidjan with only a few minutes to spare before giving birth.  This is her second visit to the Abobo Kennedy clinic in Abidjan since the beginning of her pregnancy.  Extreme poverty has meant Sabra could not afford pre-natal tests or consultations.  She was however able to have her first vaccination against tetanus, provided free by the Ivoirian government. Her second vaccination, that which would provide immunity against the deadly bacteria for her self and her unborn child, was scheduled for next week.....

Watch Video on YOUTUBE: Tetanus - Ivory Coast