Refugee Interview

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1. Introductions: Sani Dade, and Sarah Roberts

2. Anything they want to focus on:

 

Sarah Roberts:

• Experiences, going through war in Liberia coming from there to here

• Suffering, water, dead bodies, missiles, hiding children

• “Lot’s of pitiful things happen in war”

• No food, people grew tales from being malnourished

• Women were raped at not even 10 years of age

• Rebels kill women carrying wheel barrow

• Beat and rip women apart

• “I went through a lot”

• You cannot walk through the street alone

• You cannot talk, they will kill you if you do

 

Sani Dade:

• Monrovia was bring war, all of the rebels were there

• In Nimba County, war started spreading, and kids were given guns

• Rebels began to infiltrate

• Children and family went to seek safety in Monrovia

• When they got to  Monrovia they would find beheaded people and needed to find a way to leave

• Charles Taylor encouraged people to go to Monrovia as a trap

• Sani carried one bag of rice, no money, and a suitcase full of close, she would sell the clothes for money.

• They would eat palm cabbage in a palm tree and the kids would have diarrhea because they were not used to it.

• When she finally sold her clothes she would get rice, but as soon as she cooked it the rebels would come and take the food.

• Her son was 14 years old, and the rebels came and took him. She tried to fight for her son, saying that he wasn't old enough but then they began to beat her as she begged for her son's life.

• Later another rebel came and told her that they were beating her son

• They stayed in this territory for two months

• When they released her son, his back was cut up because he was beaten so badly. Sani used vaseline for relief

• They lived in a warzone, with shots heard all night long. Men came to look for you and to kill you.

• With no money to get food, they would look for firewood, but whatever they would find the rebels would take from them.

• Charles Taylor passes laws saying that you couldn’t leave Monrovia because they would just kill you.

• THey strategically place rebels everywhere.

• Housing was burned down and there was no place to live.

• As she was running away bullets were killed people, and she slipped and sprained her back. To this day she still walkings with a cane.

• There were 4 different rebel grounds

• Old people would be carried in wheelbarrows so they weren't shot.

• ESOWS were peacekeeping troops that pushed rebels back

 

3. Anything else you would like to share?

Sarah:

• A lot of people ran to the American Embassy seeking shelter but they didn't let them in.

• Rebel groups were targeting and shooting

• A lot of weapons came into the county

• Very thankful for Bush and the Americans or they would not be alive today

• Libya- there were guns and ammunition

• Americans intercepted i and ended the war. Charles was forced out

• People went for rescue

• Killed everyone who was there, nobody lived.

• At the Church there was a massacred, dead bodies everywhere, mass burial

 

Henry-

• Resilient People- people think you have to forget about it and that you cannot talk about it.

• We have the responsibility to help people talk about it

• Comfort and validation of sharing stories

• Understand it is important to support them

 

Sani-

• After Son had a traumatic beating experience he would never want to come outside. He died of heart disease at 20 years old

• They could not find jobs because the economy was so bad

• Young girls were getting pregnant.

 

4. How have you adapted to America?

 

• It is alright

• Parents aren’t working

• Kids are not in school

• Cannot send food home

• Although they have the comforts of home they aren’t happy because of who they left behind

 

5. What is your daily life like?

 

Sani-

• Watches tv, eats, goes to eat, knits

• Goes to the center of Wednesday

 

Sarah-

• Transition to be able to find work and support herself.

• Reads books

• Goes to computer class

• Goals- incremental steps to get a job

 

*The two met through the center

 

6. What food and culture did you bring to America?

• Song and traditions, Church music

• Liberian food

• Salsa- sing, and play music

 

7. Talk about PTSD:

• July 4th fireworks scare them, they hide under beds, absolutely frightening.

• Triggers awful memories

 

8. What would you like to share with others?

• People need to help, because if they do, that's when people survive

 

9. Importance of the program:

• Essential to health/ well-being.

• Learn together as a group

• Center→ essential support, educational opportunities, help change quality of life,