Conflict

Few years ago, the Buduburam Refugee Camp was under constant attack by unknown men. These attackers were later on known to be Ghanaians. They have their reason of attacking camp residents. They used to attack with spears and cutlasses. Buduburam Camp is located between Kasoa and Winneba on the high way to the road leading to Accra, the capital city of Ghana. This piece of land was to Liberian s that fled from Liberia due to the outbreak of civil war in Liberia. Immediately after the 1997 election which bought former president Charles Taylor to power, the Ghanaians insisted that Liberians should go back home and release their land. These Ghanaians who were claiming the land did not get any backing from their government. The government declared that Liberians who do not want to return home due insecurity should live on the Refugee camp without disturbance. It was against this background that these people used to attack the Camp. Residents who live on the outskirts of the Camp used to feel the weight. Those attackers used to creep in the night and use the speak to hit people in the house. To catch them was very difficult because they did not come to the center of the Camp. During this period of time, my mother and I deserted our house and went to stay with some people who live in the center of the Camp. More people who could afford to live in the Ghanaians' community left the camp due to this inhuman behavior. Unfortunately for the attackers, one night the Buduburam guards arrested a Ghanaian with spear on the outskirts of the refugee Camp and was turned over to the police. This situation really worried more people at that moment because the peace that we used to enjoy was taken away and more people thought that we were about to face the second in exile where we believe to be safer. This conflict came to an end when UNHCR and the Ghanaian government put in place a group called neighborhood watch team to assist the police in maintaining law and order on the refugee Camp and its environs. Now, we are enjoying peace.

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RECESS PERIOD

I used to like one moment when I was in school. Recess was the enjoyable moment I used to like. When I was in School, every school's day in our school has fifteen minutes as recess period. My friends-Tina, Agnes and Delphine and myself chose one food center where the Ghanaian's food called banku is being prepared. As for me, I like that food center for one reason. The banku is sold there cheap and the place is convenient. Tina told me that she likes the place too (food center) because more students from our school do not go there to eat. Most of the students do not like the food. Some students even stand in public and declare that the banku is a sub standard type of food which is eaten most by poor students. It was against this background that Tina suggested that we should not eat this food in the presence of our school mates. If we do, they will tease us. Agnes on the other hand said that, the food center is a very quiet place and no disturbance there. It is highly peaceful. Delphine likes carbohydrate type of food and banku is being prepared from cassava tubers. Each of us can pay certain amount of money towards our recess. Sometimes, an amount of (10,000 cedi) ten thousand cedi is paid each. It means that we can have (40,000 cedi) forty thousand cedi can be on hand for our recess. We always used part of the above mentioned amount for our food. Sometimes when the money is collected on time, we can pay it to the owner of the food center. We really use to patronage owner of the business. As a result, she sometimes gave us credit. We have a way of leaving the school premises during recess period to go to the food center without being noticed by our classmates. Immediately the recess bell is ringed, we shake each other hands indicating that we should meet at the food center. The only embarrassing part of the banku is that, after consuming it, we can sweat a lot in class. I used to the banku to the extend that I can still buy it even since I left school.

City Life

There is a big difference between living in the village and the city. I did not know until my mother and I went to Accra to spend some days there. My mother and I were too excited when we were informed about the visit. It has been my mother dream to see Accra one day because of its beauty that most people have been talking about. While we were on the bus from the Camp to Accra, my mother and I continued to ask questions about Accra. To our greatest surprise, our bus stopped to the first red light. As for me, I am aware of the light and its function because I have traveled to Accra on several occasions. I did not hot tell my mother what red light really means. Why our bus has to stop to the red light including other buses, said my mother? Ma Martha said, when the light appears red, it indicates that all cars should wait for other cars on the other side of the road to pass. The only way the bus will go through is when the light appears green. When the light appeared green, the buses continued the journey. We were very tired and hungry when we got to Ma Martha's house in Accra. After a five minute rest at Ma Martha's residence in Accra, Ma Martha asked one of her children to locate the bathroom door to my mother to have a bath. Ma Martha did not tell my mother that it was shower in the bathroom not bath bucket that we can use on the Camp. When my mother entered the bathroom, she kept looking around in the bathroom; she kept looking around in the bathroom for five minutes without seeing a bucket with water in it. She only saw soap and a towel in the bathroom. While my mother was in the bathroom, I was listening to her attentatively whether she was bathing. To my surprise, I noticed finally that she was not taking bath because she did not know shower and how to use it. I quickly rushed there and there was nothing I could do because I did not know shower too. Please call Ma Martha to come and educate us on what to do to take bath. Please do not tell her in the presence of her children so as to avoid us being considered as uncivilized people, said my mother. I quickly called Ma Martha and explained to her what is going on. She quickly pressed one of the buttons on the wall and the water began to drop from up. We all were surprise!! After bathing, she asked all of us to go to the market and to buy food to cook and also to view the market too. While going to the market, we got to the main street. Everybody was waiting for the traffic to be free before crossing. My mother and I faced another big obstacle. My mother was too afraid of the cars in traffic. When the traffic is a bit free, Ma Martha will ask as to cross but my mother insisted on several occasions. She said that we should find a red light to stand near it. Ma Martha suggested that we all should hold hands and cross at once. I really reasoned with her because this could be the possible way for us to cross. We all crossed and went in the market and returned home the same way. My mother and I had story to tell people in our community when we returned on the Camp. My mother always talks about what she experienced during our visit. It was a wonderful visit and experience.

Female Soccer

Among Liberians, most people know kicking balling to be the sport played by most Liberian girls. This kickball sport has not gained any international recognition. Moreover, this sport is practiced only among Liberian females. I was astonished when I saw a group of Ghanaian girls who play soccer. Those girls have the same skills and stimuli the boys or men have. I feel too impressed and excited whenever I see those female soccer players. I always have at heart that one day I will play soccer if I have the opportunity. Last year, a group of females who have been playing soccer with some Ghanaian girls came on the refugee camp to settle there. They are about five. I will not mention their names to avoid conflict. They are very strong and have men appearance. If you see them for the first time, you will consider them to be females. They look like men really!!! Those girls made sure that they take exercise every morning on the community football field. Sometimes they ran around the football field ten times. After staying a while with us on the camp, they started encouraging others girls to join them to form a football team. They really tried their best and won a meaningful number of girls. The female soccer team began famous and strong due to its performance. Majority of my friends like Tina, Agnes, and Delphine joined and started training. One like me, I declined from the team because I could not cope with the training and the requirements. Moreover, my mother was totally against the idea of girls playing football. My mother advised me several times to desist from such practice. The female soccer team became more famous and strong in the community when they defeated their counterparts from Tema, another community in Accra. I can remember that game was played on a Saturday evening and it ended three goals to one in favor of our team. I used to like that sport but criticism and mockery from people in the community caused me to back off.

The Internet

More people thought that computer literates knew how to use the internet but I was surprise when I got confused for the first time when I attempted to use the internet. I got impressed and attracted by the way more young girls like me on the refugee camp nevigate through the internet. Some of them type their letter without looking at the keyboard. I thought they were magicians. One day I asked Sammie, a Ghanaian who uses the internet most of the time to teach me the internet. I am too busy to teach you but I will introduce you to one of the cafe attendants so that she can help you, said Sammie. The next day, Sammie and I went to the internet cafe and he introduced me to her. After explaining our purpose of going there, the cafe attendant, Madam Alice, told me that she does not have problem with teaching me but I have to buy some hours because she does have free time at the cafe. I told her that I will come back the next day. I consulted my mother about it. There is no money now my daughter, said my mother. All efforts failed in gathering money to buy time. I therefore suggested to my mother that I will use two days to do some domestic works for madam Alice, the cafe attendant. I went back to madam Alice and told her that I will do some works for her for two days. Some of these works include: washing clothes and cooking for her house for few days. She agreed and bought me some hours at the internet cafe. I was taught for one week. After this period, I was able to send email to friends, chat and search for information. Madam Alice did not teach me everything concerning the internet. For example, the idea of uploading pictures to the computer was very strange until a friend of mine called Agnes. Anyway, Madam Alice did extremely well for me because she laid the foundation and I am improving upon it. I really thank Madam Alice for teaching me. Now, I can boost of what I know about the internet.

Sport

FEMALE SOCCER

Among Liberians, most people know kicking balling to be the sport played by most Liberian girls. This kickball sport has not gained any international recognition. Moreover, this sport is practiced only among Liberian females. I was astonished when I saw a group of Ghanaian girls who play soccer. Those girls have the same skills and stimuli the boys or men have. I feel too impressed and excited whenever I see those female soccer players. I always have at heart that one day I will play soccer if I have the opportunity. Last year, a group of females who have been playing soccer with some Ghanaian girls came on the refugee camp to settle there. They are about five. I will not mention their names to avoid conflict. They are very strong and have men appearance. If you see them for the first time, you will consider them to be females. They look like men really!!! Those girls made sure that they take exercise every morning on the community football field. Sometimes they ran around the football field ten times. After staying a while with us on the camp, they started encouraging others girls to join them to form a football team. They really tried their best and won a meaningful number of girls. The female soccer team began famous and strong due to its performance. Majority of my friends like Tina, Agnes, and Delphine joined and started training. One like me, I declined from the team because I could not cope with the training and the requirements. Moreover, my mother was totally against the idea of girls playing football. My mother advised me several times to desist from such practice. The female soccer team became more famous and strong in the community when they defeated their counterparts from Tema, another community in Accra. I can remember that game was played on a Saturday evening and it ended three goals to one in favor of our team. I used to like that sport but criticism and mockery from people in the community caused me to back off.

My visit to the computer school

My visit to the computer school

When I arrived on Buduburam Camp newly, I did not know computer. I only used to hear the name from people who had seen, touched and used it before. I and my mother used to listen to people who had used it as they talk about the way it is used. It was my wish to use computer one day. I and my mother really used to wonder how computer really functions. My mother sometimes asks people whether there is a human being within computer who performs the work it does. The establishment of internet cafe and computer school on the Refugee Camp cleared my doubt a lot!! My first time to touch computer was the time when Tina took me to a computer school which belongs to her uncle. I was very happy when Tina promised to take me to her uncle's computer school because I wanted to use our visit to really see computer and touch it as well. Before going to the computer school, I informed my mother about our visit to the computer school and she was so excited for me to go there. The following day, when we got in the school, Tina introduced me to her uncle. After Tina's introduction, the real business began. She went strictly to the point. There is something in your school that is so precious to my friend, Maibel which she has been wishing to touch, see and use one day until the world can come to an end. People in our community had talked about it a lot to her but she wants to see for herself. I have told her lot concerning it, but she is not satisfied, said Tina. Tina's uncle could not comprehend what she was aiming at. Please be bold and precise and tell me the purpose of your visit and stop wasting my precious time, said Tina's uncle-Mr. Kabo. My friend, Maibel wants to know more about computer and use it if possible. This is her first time to see computer, said Tina. The shameful part of it is, Tina did not tell her uncle in secret but infront of the students. When Tina ended, all the students laughed for a while. I was too shame but there is nothing I could do because I wanted to know so that my doubt can be cleared. Mr. Kabo gave me a seat which has a computer infront of it and started explaining some of the parts of computer to me. I was taught for an hour. I felt relief and happy after my first time to be educated about computer. When we returned home, I told my mother about Tina's uncle being hospitable to me and my mother extended thanks and appreciations to Tina for taking me to her uncle's computer school. I also told my mother how shameful it was when Tina told her uncle that I have not touched or seen a computer before. Do not be shame when you are seeking for knowledge, said my mother. I visited Mr. Kabo's computer school for a week and at the end of the day, I was able to learn something good about computer. It was in that school I learnt how to use the internet as well. The first time I used the computer was like I was in heaven. What a great experience!!