WESTERN PROVINCE

A medical official at Kiziba Hospital in the Karongi district has decried the rapidly increasing population among the refugees especially the rapid emergence of child mothers.

Speaking to The New Times this week, Frank Gikumba, said the increasing population at the camp has affected feeding among the refugees, blaming inadequate family planning.

The hospital largely serves Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese refugees living at Kiziba Refugee camp. The camp was opened up 12 years ago and it is home to 18,000 people.

"This camp has 18,000 residents of which 4,000 are children,” said Gikumba, adding that due to poor feeding most children are stunted.

According to sources the refugees marry off under age girls as old as 12 years. And unmarried young girls conceive with the knowledge of their parents.

"We get many cases of pregnant girls in the camp’s primary school but the parents frustrate our efforts to follow up the cases because they claim their children are mature enough to handle families,” said a female teacher at a nearby primary school.

Walking around the camp, there are many young mothers heading families. However, parents at the camp defend their actions, saying marrying off young girls in a way makes them become independent to benefit from different food rations from aid organisations.

"If a child gives birth, they are regarded mature and independent, they are given separate houses as well as food on a monthly basis,” said a woman who identified herself as mama Ange, whose daughter gave birth at 13.

UNHCR gives them food per head so in case a family increases by one person it translates into increased food rations.

"Since we have no land to till, we then find our best investment in increasing on our families through giving birth,” said another man who gave his name as Mushimiyimana, a father of six.

Meanwhile, some of the aid organisations say there is less they can do to fight this because it’s a common practice among refugees.

"All we have to do is not set laws in camps, we have to just ensure the refugees have eaten and are healthy,” said a UNHCR official in the area.

However, there are some refugees who are concerned at the increasing population rate at the camp and call for an urgent intervention by authorites.

"….especially that many of us are jobless and have no plots of land, how then shall we be able to care for our children and grand children,” said Gikumba.

Quite often, he said, ignorance has caused sexually transmitted diseases among some families in the camp.

Ends