not remain in the rural area where they were dumped. Most returned to Killarney or Ngozi
Mine.69
Out of these eight families:
4 reported that they were happy to remain in the rural area where they now are.
In the case of three families, they expressed reservations about being where they were,
but said it was preferable to squatting and meant that their children would at least
inherit a secure place to live in the future, unlike in Killarney.
One woman has a very successful rural store operating and has done very well for
herself and her children, although her marriage has broken up, with her husband
returning to the urban areas.
Out of the remaining four rural families:
All expressed serious reservations about being in a rural area.
The main reason they gave for remaining, was security of having a plot that was theirs:
three said that they would rather return to an urban area, but only if they were
guaranteed ownership of a stand.
One old lady expressed her exhaustion at the thought of having to move again to
anywhere else at her age. She also mentioned that two of her children had died and
been buried near her new, rural homestead, and she therefore could not now return to
Killarney and abandon their graves.
In terms of problems faced over the last five years:
7 out of 8 families reported that there had been disruption to schooling as a result of
being in a rural area.
6 out of 8 reported serious problems with the health of at least one family member,
and problems of reaching clinics from where they are now. In some cases, the nearest
clinic is now 30 km away.
In terms of immediate needs now:
a depressing 5 out of 8 mentioned food as an overriding need at this time.
Only 2 mentioned that they were concerned about shelter
5 out of 8 mentioned both schooling and the need for farming inputs and implements
as pressing issues now.
Even though half of these families reported being moderately satisfied with life where they
were, the above litany of problems indicates that life is nonetheless highly problematic for
most of them, with food, schooling and healthcare major concerns.
4.
Killarney and Ngozi Mine families
Apart from the very serious problem of lack of secure accommodation, those in the peri‐urban
areas face problems in relation to accessing other services and resources:
33% of respondents reported schooling disruptions because of OM and since.
69 SPT (2006) ibid.
38
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