BLOG # 17 Fun visitors and Thanksgiving

This blog is in bullet point form because so much happened in the last week:



- ECHO, the European Commision, came to one of our Task Force meetings in Mporokoso to talk about the Voluntary Repatriation (VolRep) process in Mwange. In their words, 'ECHO is focused on funding development and humanitarian issues throughout the world. In this area of Africa, they are working to fund VolRep activities and aid the World Food Programme's (WFP) activities.' They specifically wanted each of the Mwange IPs to talk about problems we are facing in the repatriation process. It was really interesting to hear how most of the problems boiled down to the need of human resources, whereas I would have expected them to complain more about physical resources. ECHO was really excited to hear about FORGE's Repatriation Information Netowork, which acts as a bridge between UNHCR and the refugees by disseminating information about VolRep, news from the DRC and general news from UNHCR.



- Katie Bollbach, who was a PM for FORGE in 2005-2006 and who helped found FACE AIDS, visited Mwange for a few days. It was great to have her around and to hear her perspective on living in Zambia and doing development work. In just the short time she was in Mwange, she really helped push the FACE AIDS program forward.



- I had a great time celebrating Thanksgiving! I went to the Peace Corps house in Kasama for the night. We had a real Thanksgiving feast, working with things available in Zambia – chicken (no turkey), stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, yams, wine and homemade pie! The next morning, while in the internet café, I saw the Mwange parish Priest, a big friendly Congolese man, and he offered me a ride home with his brother, so I didn't have to take the bus. We had a great time telling playing car games and hearing his jokes about the DRC.



- Two convoys left this week. Together they took more than 800 Congolese refugees back to their homes in the Moba province of the DRC. Moba is in the eastern part of the DRC close to the borders of Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. I woke up around 4am so that I could go see everyone leave. The whole community was there to bid those leaving farewell and wish them safe travels. It must be strange for people here to see their neighbors and friends leave Mwange because after so many years sharing their lives together it is doubtful that they will see each other again. Many of those who are still here are hoping to be resettled to other countries or to return to different areas of the DRC.