Liberian Refugee Camp

The two Liberian civil wars forced a lot of people to flee their country. Many Liberian refugees can be found in Ghana, not far away from Accra.The Buduburam refugee camp is huge and has a population of approximately 40,000 people.Because some refugees have been there for almost 30 years, actual small shacks have been built, so people don't live in tents. There is a school and a small football field.
In the 1980s, Liberia was headed by Samuel K. Doe. The first Liberian war started in 1989, when arbitrary rule (Doe suspended the constitution and formed an authoritarian regime called People's Redemption Council.) and economic collapse culminated in a rebellion against Doe. National Patriotic Front of Liberia militia, led by Charles Taylor's, overran much of the countryside and entered the capital in 1990. Doe was executed, leading to a civil war. The rebels split into several groups and started fighting each other. A peace treaty was signed in 1995 and Taylor was elected president. However, a second civil war started in 1999 when renewed anti-government fighting started in the north. In 2003, Taylor eventually stepped down.

UN peacekeepers moved into Liberia in 2003 to help implement a peace deal and make the country secure both for civilians and for a transitional government. However, the years of civil war left the country in ruin.
Taylor has been indicted for crimes against humanity in Sierra Leone, where he allegedly aided rebels who murdered civilians.

Around 250,000 people were killed and many thousands more fled. As of 2004, at least 200,000 Liberian refugees were living in surrounding countries. An estimated 15,000 children fought in Liberia's civil war.
In Ghana, many refugees cannot find work so many opened small businesses in the camp. But a lot of them are unemployed. They get help from relatives living abroad, including the US and Canada. Most Ghanaians have accepted the Liberian community but finding a job is difficult nonetheless. Some NGOs also teach the refugees new skills and organize workshops in an attempt to improve people's chances. Some kids can also get scholarships.
As I already told you, some of the refugees told me their stories. A midwife at the Maternity Clinic saw her husband being killed and her son, then a toddler, was heavily burnt when a soldier threw boiling water on him. Others had to leave parents behind and now live in the camp without knowing if their relatives are still alive. Some of them would like to return home but with Liberia's economy in ruin they're almost better off here. Some even tried to go back but were forced to return to Ghana when they realized that life in Liberia was too difficult. Some refugees were victims of renewed violence once they returned to Liberia. At the camp offers some kind of security. More over, some got married and have kids in Ghana.

UNHCR headquarters and cars:

HIV/AIDS is quite an important problem in the camp. Conflict always renders refugees more vulnerable to HIV transmission. The UN High Commission for Refugees, which set up the camp in 1989, is heavily present. Confidential testing is available on the ground and is heavily encouraged. There are counselors on the ground, including Liberian counselors. However, stigma is fierce so counselors try to raise awareness in schools and churches. One of the main problems is that HIV tests are expensive and cannot be done in the settlement. Moreover, running water and electricity are not available, even at the settlement clinics. Poor sanitation, malaria, malnutrition only make the situation worse.