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The Buduburam community situated in the Gomoa District, about forty five kilometres west of Accra serves as the home of Liberian refugees. The Refugee Camp was established in 1990 as a result of the civil war in Liberia. Originally it was meant to host 5000 refugees, but the population today is well over 42,000. Children and youth constitute approximately 36% of the refugee population. Voluntary repatriation of refugees back to Liberia started in 2004 and people who want to go back to Liberia are assisted to travel by air or sea, but only a limited number has so far chosen repatriation.
What started as a refugee camp has today developed into a settlement having a cosmopolitan outlook with all the 16 ethnic groups of Liberia and other West African nationals, and a growing business. The settlement is marked with small-scale business enterprises such as Internet cafes and communication centres, restaurants, video clubs and night clubs, tailoring shops and boutiques.
There are some NGOs and CBOs engaged in series of activities to assist residents. The myriads of activities of humanitarian organisations and the business community, give the Settlement a semblance of prosperity. The deceptive lifestyle of some few residents, who are supported by international remittances from relatives and friends abroad, is misleading. The actual standard of living is below poverty line. There is grinding poverty; hopelessness, despair and unemployment are the lot of the residents. This grim picture is as a result of the fact that refugees are not entitled to be employed by the host country and also not receiving assistance from UNHCR apart from those recently arrived and the old and unaccompanied minors.
There is a high rate of gender based violence including rape and physical abuse some of these stem from desperation. The HIV/AIDS is expected to be quite high, though no data is available. The awareness is there especially among the pupils and the youth but the application is the problem. Some churches refused entry to HIV/AIDS campaigners.
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