Volunteer Work Goes on at Oru Refugee Camp
The Oru Refugee Camp came into being during the outbreak of the Liberian Civil War, and is now home for people from a range of countries, including Liberia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, the Ivory Coast, and the Congo. Mikado Wayko, a RESPECT volunteer at the camp, is just one of the many Liberians living and working there.
As an ordained pastor, Mikado works in one of the churches on the refugee camp, as well as being a student of the Justice Development and Peace Commission, a Catholic Church initiative to assist the less privileged. He also attends the camp's computer school, and volunteers for RESPECT, helping to distribute and collect the letters that form the camp's pen-pal exchange programme.
Mikado became involved with RESPECT through Francis Abayomi, RESPECT Nigeria coordinator, "due to the distance and transportation involved in (Francis) coming to the camp," as there is no postal agent or office at the Oru Refugee Camp. Even with Mikado's help, there are still many problems with sending and receiving letters at the camp, such as delays, and even the possibility of the letters being hijacked by officials. Mikado encourages letter writers to use DHL or courier services wherever possible.
Despite these problems, the letter exchange is growing, with volunteers like Mikado encouraging young people at the camp to get involved. Those who receive replies to their letters are enthusiastic about the project: one girl (Becky S.K Hinneh) said "I am very happy to receive my reply. It is a help for us to get connected with others outside our world."
Mikado also talks of the many and varied problems facing those living at the camp, such as lack of medication, education, and food, as well as medical problems, in particular with people's eyes. There is also a lack of funding, which is preventing people from starting up their own businesses in order to take care of their families. However, there have been some improvements, such as the group set up to carry on cleaning the environment, which Mikado mentions as one of his greatest achievements while volunteering with RESPECT.
Mikado is enthusiastic about his work with RESPECT, talking of the people he has gotten to know at the national and international levels, as well as the chance to give "service on humanitarian grounds." In particular, he talks of the residents of the camp, who "want to improve their lives by any means they can."