Last days in Kakuma (Part II)

Turkana woman

After the coffee ceremony, my firends/colleagues and I went window shopping in the Somali section of the camp. I was in the tail end of the group as I was trying to call our driver to have him pick us up. As I was trying to find his number, I was taken by complete surprise when an elderly Turkana suddenly appeared at my side. She began pulling at my sleeve, begging me for money with such desperation in her voice that I was paralyzed for a moment or two in shock. Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia are going through what is considered the worse drought and famine in 60 years (see the following BBC article for more information, http://www.bbc.co.uk/search/news/?q=turkana). Turkana, the indigenous people of northeastern Kenya have been particularly hard hit as they are a nomadic tribe in a remote part of Kenya that tends to, even under normal conditions, be dry and arid. When I looked at the Turkana lady today, I saw tears streaming down her face. I was taken back so much by the experience...White people, referred to as wazungu in Swahili, are generally assumed to be wealthy. I am used to people begging me for money - it is a regular experience when walking in downtown Nairobi. But this lady...God, I can't recall a time where I've seen such desperation in somebody's eyes...In hindsight I think that the moral, human thing to do would have been for me to give her some money. Instead I apologized to her in Swahili and quickened my pace. In my defense, I was scared. The distance between my friends and I was widening, and I was in the middle of a refugee camp with no security guards to come to my rescue. Our security head back in Nairobi had warned us prior to our departure to Kakuma that desperation among the Turkana was/is growing. Large numbers of their population are literally starving to death. When that Turkana lady grabbed hold of my sleeve like she did and I saw the desperation in her eyes, I found myself wondering, "to what lengths would I go if my children were starving? What violence would I consider to get them the food that they need?" I realized that just like me, the Turkana lady would do anything save her family. What woman wouldn't? My mother always says, "messing with me is one thing, but try messing with my family and you've got another thing coming." With such thoughts in my head, my eyes bugged out, I shook the my arm to loosen the lady's grip and sped off in the direction of my friends and safety.

But now, as I am sitting in the comfort and safety of my UN accommodation, I remain wondering, did I do the right thing? Should I have given her the money she so desperately needed, or would have that put my safety in jeopardy? Surely handing out money to one desperate soul would lead to tens, if not hundreds, of other hands reaching out towards me for their share? And if I refused them money when I had just offered to another, would they let me walk away freely? I have my doubts...