A Family Reunited

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, bloody fighting between rebel soldiers and government forces has forced over 150,000 Congolese to flee their homes and take refuge in neighbouring Tanzania. The conflict, raging since the mid-1990s, has claimed the lives of 3.3 million people - the highest documented death toll since World War II. Nearly half the Congolese refugees are children, forced to forge new lives in refugee camps, often without their parents. Katitwa, Wakenge, and Benjamin Fataki are some of these children. They once lived peacefully in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with their mother and father. Then, war changed everything.

The Fatakis' Story

When rebels killed their mother for being a Tutsi, an ethnic group frequently persecuted by other groups, and their father died soon after of natural causes, the boys became easy targets for rebels. Their older brother urged the boys to flee, and they set out on a long, dangerous trek to neighboring Tanzania.

Their journey was terrifying for the brothers and their two young nephews. On foot and alone, they had to hide from soldiers and travel under night's veil to the boat that carried them across Lake Tanganika to Tanzania - and freedom. The boat ride lasted 12 grueling hours, in freezing temperatures across icy, choppy waters. The boys were in constant fear of drowning, as the boat slowly leaked and passengers were forced to bail icy water.

When the brothers reached the shore at Kabrizi, Tanzania, they were processed at a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) transit centre, where they received health checks and vaccinations. UNHCR assigned the boys to Lugufu, a sprawling refugee camp built of mud and straw that covers 20 square miles in Tanzania and houses 30,000 refugees.

Upon arrival at the camp, the boys underwent a security check to make sure they hadn't packed anything dangerous. They then met with Adam Rajab Odongo, who oversees operations at the camp run by UNHCR. Although welcoming, Adam was blunt in outlining the camp's strict rules and stressed that the boys must respect Tanzanian law. He urged Benjamin, the eldest, to be strong and take responsibility for his family. Adam's talk overwhelmed the boys; the loss of their parents, their frightening journey, and their uncertain future came into sharp focus. One by one, they broke down and cried.

Part of getting settled at the camp involved building a simple mud and straw house by hand. UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador and What's Going On? host, Angelina Jolie, worked tirelessly with the boys to construct a place they could call home. But the picture was not complete. The boys still faced the hunger, unemployment, and boredom that are endemic to camp life. They also still did not know the whereabouts of their eldest brother, Mugumu. Fortunately, Adam never gave up trying to find him.

Adam's work in tracking down Mugumu led to the long-awaited gathering of a fractured family. The boys were reunited and now live together at another camp. As a family, they are better prepared to handle the challenges that lie ahead, but the things they have seen and the loss they have endured will haunt them forever.

The life of a refugee is traumatic and involves more than moving to a new country; it's a traumatic process that involves losing one's identity, mourning the past, and wondering what the future will bring. The psychological toll is enormously heavy on kids, who are forced to set aside childhood in order to simply survive. Although their journey to the camp was long, the road ahead is even longer for the Fatakis.

What's Next for the Fatakis?

As long as the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo rages, the Fatakis will wait at Lugufu. Local laws prevent them from settling in Tanzania, which is concerned that the economy cannot support the continuous waves of refugees. The war has stretched the UN's resources and today, refugees at Lugufu must survive on half the normal food allocations. The boys will have access to schooling, but for the most part they will have to focus on simply surviving. However, with the help of the UN, they have the opportunity to live without fear and without war. Acknowledging the compassion of Angelina and others involved in the UN's refugee initiatives, Benjamin Fataki expressed his appreciation: "Even as orphans, people care about us."

What Can You Do?

Article 22 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child states that any child seeking refugee status has the right to receive protection and humanitarian assistance. To learn more about the grave situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to find out how you can help, visit UNHCR, the United Nations refugee agency that assists over 20 million people globally, and UNHCR implementing partner International Rescue Committee, a non-governmental organization that has monitored and assisted refugees worldwide since 1933. You can also visit USA for UNHCR.
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