After 20 years, I finally returned to the Kenyan refugee camp I’d left for a new life

I arrived in Melbourne with my mum and siblings on a cold night in March 2005. We landed at Tullamarine airport with just a few clothes in almost empty bags.

I landed in Kakuma on a bright blue Monday morning – my first visit since leaving almost 19 years ago. I went looking for familiar landmarks. I vividly recalled a small hill that looked towards the basketball court near my old home. I had spent many hours on that court, sometimes playing without shoes until the tarmac cut my feet. It was a small price to pay, as the basketball court was a place to escape the harsh realities of refugee life. I played until sunset forced me home.

But the basketball court spoke the truth about time. It was broken. The scoreboards were cracked, the paint was peeling and the whole frame stooped, as if bent by 19 years of bad luck. It broke my heart to see the court in that state. I had taken it for granted when I lived in Kakuma. Regardless of its shabby state, young people still came to play. I joined them.We visited my secondary school the following day, where I first dreamed of becoming a lawyer.

Unlike in my day, refugees in Kakuma are now asked to pay a small amount to send their children to school. No child is turned away if they can’t pay, but anyone who can contribute is encouraged to do so. More money means more teachers and more textbooks.

Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

This prominent Melburnian thinks Australia is failing Ukraine. He’s trying to fill the gapsInvestor James Baillieu, the nephew of former premier Ted Baillieu, says the war in Ukraine has been wiped off the news cycle and the Australian government doesn’t care.
Source: theage - 🏆 8. / 77 Read more »

After 20 years, I finally returned to the Kenyan refugee camp I’d left for a new lifeI went from being a 17-year-old who appreciated a glass of water to a clichéd Melburnian coffee snob who needs three cups a day.
Source: brisbanetimes - 🏆 13. / 67 Read more »

‘People think it’s just for emo or gothic kids’: the Kenyan metalhead leading a new wave of African rockMartin Kanja, AKA Lord Spikeheart, covers everything from colonialism to his grandmother in music that mixes African culture with metal. He hopes to help more artists like him break through
Source: GuardianAus - 🏆 1. / 98 Read more »

Meet Angourie Rice: Rising Hollywood star, published writer, podcasterMelburnian Rice was acting alongside Ryan Gosling and Nicole Kidman while her school friends were working at Kmart. Now, she’s scaling the Hollywood hills.
Source: theage - 🏆 8. / 77 Read more »

Meet Angourie Rice: Rising Hollywood star, published writer, podcasterMelburnian Rice was acting alongside Ryan Gosling and Nicole Kidman while her school friends were working at Kmart. Now, she’s scaling the Hollywood hills.
Source: smh - 🏆 6. / 80 Read more »

I live in Brunswick East and drink flat whites. Now I’m engaged in a sordid affairAs a Melburnian, your coffee order signals a certain sense of taste. So what happens when you decide you’re not a flat white person anymore?
Source: theage - 🏆 8. / 77 Read more »