Live from Buduburam #2

Live from Buduburam Refugee Camp in Ghana, West Africa

I have been here two weeks now and am settling into daily routines. I arise at 7am to have my bucket shower, eat my oatmeal and fried plantain. I also have my quiet time writing in my journal and at 8:30am I begin to walk to the office. It's about a 20 minute walk through the camp and there is a fair amount of activity as vendors sell cassavas, oranges, dried fish, African cloth, rice, and much more.

On Mondays and Thursdays I counsel the women in private; I have heard 75 personal stories. These days are the most exhausting, but also the most rewarding. The counseling space is small, stuffy and hot but still connections happen here; we share stories, we laugh, we hug, we cry, and we sit quietly.  

On Tuesday's we fast and pray as a group and then I conduct reiki healing sessions. The women for the most part are very open and receptive. Wed. and Fri. are for visiting schools, meeting with women at their business locations, sitting in on our sewing classes, teaching at the Adult Literacy Program, seeing members in their homes, conducting staff meetings, and working on the new guest house for volunteers.

Joven is off traveling in northern Ghana. We have cell phones so we talk several times a day. He will be visiting me soon at the camp! And tomorrow is his birthday!  He has been on lots of buses and his most recent adventure was visiting an animal watering hole with lots of elephants and antelope. I am excited to see him soon.

Vermont Trust Funds for Women Empowerment is a program of One Step One World.  We are a 501C3 so any donation that you give will be tax deductible. There is a paypal link here for you convenience but if you prefer a check can be made to One Step One World, c/o Sally Black at PO Box 983, Montpelier, VT  05601.

The women of Buduburam Camp and I thank you,

Sally

Live from Buduburam Refugee Camp

Live from the Buduburam Liberian Refugee Camp

Hello Friends & Family,

The community of Vermont Trust Funds for Women’s Empowerment has embraced us, and we are being well taken care of. We have over 130 members, and they are proud to belong to a women’s
micro-lending / skills training empowerment group.

I have had my first two full day in the office counseling refugee women.  I heard in private and one on one 48 women’s stories of struggle and faith. Long ago, this place was a model UN camp for 8,000. After two civil wars in Liberia the population swelled to 45,000. Many Liberians have returned home.8,000 - 12, 000 refugees remain here.

Nobody wants to live here, but they lack the funds to move on and begin anew. Here on the camp everything costs money; if a refugee drinks water, they buy it. If a refugee uses a real toilet instead of the ditch, they pay for it. If a refugee eats rice, they purchase it. Babies cry in the night from hunger and thirst. Two days ago a man died in his house, he starved to death.

And despite all of this suffering the women are amazing people. Most men either died in the Liberian Civil Wars or they split when they had a chance to get out. The women have told me over and over again, “We live here by the grace of God.  “Without God, they would have nothing,” a young volunteer told me on my first day here.

Oretha Zulu, Directress. This women is a power house. She never seems to stop. She is up by 5 am and she often leaves the office at 8pm. Each week she visits every member within their homes to offer encouragement and support. Her plan is to take me to visit every member in their home before my time here ends. She is a dreamer with great hopes in creating a better life for all members of the organization. Without Oretha, Vermont Trust Funds for Women’s Empowerment would simply not be.

Aymerson Sanny, Administrator. Aymerson helps the women refugees fill out membership forms, loan application forms, and he conducts weekly meetings with all members. He is the glue that holds the organization all together. He is smart, very organized, and kind. Without Aymerson, Vermont Trust Funds for Women’s Empowerment would come undone.

Ration Day

One day each month is ration day.  Before the day began, I told the Vermont Trust Funds for Women's Empowerment staff that ration day was not a sustainable project and we may need to consider focusing our efforts on our other programs ie: micro-lending, skills training, and adult literacy. Four hours later, after bagging and distributing over 500 pounds of rice (more expensive rice than usual because it is shipped through the Ivory Coast and the new shipment is delayed due to the conflict there) and packages of salt to over 80 women, I knew this would not be an easy decision to discontinue ration day.

Reading Glasses

One of the most popular items donated to the camp for distribution are reading glasses. Thanks to all of you who have donated them! We have been able to give 25 women glasses. Our waiting list has another 20 waiting - we need 9 pairs of 1.25’s, 8 of 1.50’s and 3 pairs of 2.00’s. Write us if you would like to donate glasses and we will give you instructions on how to make it happen.

Volunteer Housing

We are happy to report that we have signed an one-year-lease to rent a house for volunteers. This is another step toward sustainability for the organization as volunteers will pay rent. The metal gate was installed for security along with new screens to keep the mosquitoes out. We have painted the interior and within the next few days Joven and I will be moving into it.

Sally & Joven have reached Buduburam Camp in Ghana

Dear Friends,

Much has happened since Vermont Trust Funds for Women Empowerment began at the Buduburam Liberian Refugee Camp in Ghana, West Africa on April 1st. of 2010.

We have experienced a rather quick success because of the women refugees; they have directed the programming since day one. They have designed workshops and women with skills have taught the other women. They also pray and fast for spiritual guidance and direction each week; they have reached out to some of the neediest families on the camp.

Thirty women have started successful, home businesses. Each month 80 - 100 women and children are fed, adult literacy classes have begun for women who want to learn to write their names, and two baby’s lives have been saved by providing the mothers with necessary funds for complicated deliveries outside of the refugee camp.

Microloans for women empowerment continue to be our primary focus. Women are gaining the skills and knowledge that they will need in order to create better futures for themselves. In fact, many women are beginning to express hope about returning to Liberia because now they have their successful businesses. The workshops and trainings have taught them how to read and keep financial data about their businesses. The women without skills have been able to attend sewing school. In the future we hope to add: baking, soap making, cutting hair, and tie-dying.

The needs on the camp are great since the United Nations has withdrawn its support from the remaining 12,000 Liberians. The UN is proclaiming Liberia a safe nation to return to. Many women have lived on the camp since 1994, so naturally the camp has become the only home they know. The refugees that have chosen to return to Liberia have been telling us there has been little to return to after nearly a dozen years of two different civil wars.

Every dollar donated will be made available to pre-qualified women who are waiting for their small business loans of $50.00 - $200.00. There are currently 35 women on the waiting list for loans. Once their business is up and running, the loans are paid back to the non-profit and redistributed to others.

Thank you for your support,