Community care provides lifeline for elderly refugees in Mahama refugee camp
Community care provides lifeline for elderly refugees in Mahama refugee camp
When Constantin fled his home in Burundi over eight years ago, he never imagined he would strike up such a close relationship with a complete stranger. But he now describes Marc, his 82-year-old neighbour, as one of his closest friends.
“My world became smaller when we fled to Rwanda. I was focused on my family, my five children, my priority was their safety. It was difficult at first, but we slowly settled into life in Mahama refugee camp. It was then, I realized that not everyone had it as easy as we did.”
With this realization, Constantin volunteered to be part of the community care scheme run by Prison Fellowship Rwanda in Mahama camp which provides support to older members of the community who struggle to carry out basic daily tasks. The project was initially established in partnership with UNHCR through funding from the European Union.
There are currently over 40 refugee community care volunteers like Constantin in the camp, all who carry out their caring role free of charge.
But it is often thankless work.
The rocky and hilly terrain in Mahama refugee camp pose a challenge for the elderly and people with disabilities.
“I’ve had to sacrifice a lot of time, especially with my own family, to take care of Marc,” explains Constantin. “But after seeing how he was suffering before, it was difficult not to help him. I get food for him from the market, wash him, pick up his gas entitlements so we can cook and take him to the health centre when needed,” he adds.
These daily tasks can often take up most of Constantin’s day and he has even contributed his own limited financial resources to pay for things that Marc needs such as soap or other household items.
Constantin’s selflessness, however, is a lifeline for Marc.
“My wife died a long time ago. We never had any children. I fled the conflict by myself, by foot, and then took a bus when I crossed the border into Rwanda. But my health has got worse and worse over the last few years. Now, I struggle to walk more than 100m and even then, it is only with crutches. I have a catheter and so have to go to the clinic once a week for that.”
Constantin supports Marc up the rocky steps and into his shelter
Living in a camp environment isn’t the easiest place for someone of Marc’s age and health condition. If he wants to go to the health clinic, he is reliant on Constantin or Red Cross volunteers coming to pick him up from home on a stretcher. Even the rocky steps up to Marc’s shelter pose a daily hurdle to get over if he wants to leave his home independently.
Jean Marie Nimubona, a fellow refugee and organizer of the community care scheme with Prison Fellowship Rwanda, explains that sadly this is a reality many older refugees face in the camp. “We have a need for six additional care givers in this village of the camp alone. If they don’t have extended family in Mahama, then we must be that support system for them.”
Jean Marie Nimubona, volunteers with Prison Fellowship Rwanda, to organize the community care programme across two villages in Mahama refugee camp. He is part of a team of 9 such refugee volunteers.
Together with Constantin, Jean Marie and the rest of the caregiver volunteers often hold community meetings to attract their peers to their cause. Due to increases in the cost of living and cuts in cash assistance programmes, however, it is becoming more and more difficult to recruit more members as refugee families who were previously self-sufficient and available to help out, are having to prioritize their own needs. For Marc, without the support from Constantin, he fears he will have no one to turn to in order to live with dignity.
For the time being though, Marc is just appreciative of the basic support on offer. “Constantin is like the son I never had,” he reflects.
Marc’s story highlights how vulnerable groups, including elderly persons, are often the first to suffer when humanitarian funding falls short of the needs.