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NY Knicks Jerseys: A Hot Commodity in Djabal Refugee Camp
As the coordinator for Darfur Dream Team Sister Schools program, Stella recently traveled to eastern Chad with Enough senior advisor Omer Ismail to conduct a rapid assessment in Djabal and Goz Amer, twin refugee camps located near the town of Goz Beida in eastern Chad. The information and testimonies they collected will be used to raise awareness about the plight of Darfuri refugees and devise the best ways for engaging with the students in the camps through the Sister Schools program.
UPDATE: Please see An Apology, dated July 13.
Rows of eager faces strained to see what was causing such a commotion. They waited excitedly, pressing forward for a peek. It was our second day visiting Djabal refugee camp and Omer and I were distributing New York Knicks basketball jerseys to the refugee children living in the camp. The Madison Square Garden office of merchandise and special projects generously donated the jerseys for Darfuri refugee children, and they proved right away to be prized possessions. As word of our giveaway spread, children flooded our area from all sides.
To fairly distribute the jerseys, Omer and I separated the children into groups based on which blocks in the camp they lived. Then we began to hand the jerseys out as evenly as possible. The scramble began, and within minutes the jerseys were devoured. Though we informed them that we had no more to give, the children still scrambled up to us to peer into the empty bag to ensure a jersey had not escaped our notice.
The mad dash for the jerseys is emblematic of the constant struggle refugees have for food, education, and basic supplies. The Darfur Dream Team’s Sister Schools Program seeks to address one of the major needs of the refugee children in Djabal: Quality education. The Sister Schools Program brings together a diverse coalition — students, professional athletes, and international, private, and non-profit organizations — to address this need by providing school supplies and teacher training and by linking U.S. schools with sister schools in the 12 refugee camps in Chad.
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This seems like a very very bad publicity stunt, a feel good photo op that probably left many children in a horrible situation feeling even worse. If you wanted to demonstrate how badly these kids need basics supplies this was not the way to go about it. I agree with Sally, basketballs would have been a better gift or better yet give the shirts to the camp managers as suggested on Alanna's blog or camp elders who could distribute the t-shirts using a fair system that would give the kids something to strive for. I hope you will take these comments into consideration for your next trip.
It seems to me a better use of resources would be to actually bring some basketballs or soccer balls to camp so the kids at the camp can use the equipment for recreation and exercise. Boredom is huge at these camps for children. I am not sure how bringing T-shirts (and not even enough of them) really helps refugees in need and is good use of funders funds.
This initiative is badly planned and morally disputable. Alanna has expressed her concern about this jersey scramble very well, I couldn't do better. Stella, please read her latest blog entry.
The mad dash for the jerseys is NOT emblematic of the constant struggle refugees have for food, education, and basic supplies --- IT is emblematic of poor planning, and lack of effort required to come up with an equitable and fair distribution system. It was an dumb and thoughtless stunt. Very Disappointing !!!
Stella, this is extremely disappointing. Why would you not plan appropriately to avoid total chaos at the distribution of something considered a valuable commodity, or find a way to use the jerseys as rewards for strong performance in school, or for helping to keep the camp clean, or whatever? Setting up a situation in which poor Darfuri children have to "scramble" for limited commodities of gifts donated by rich Americans just plays to stereotypes and doesn't really help anybody.
I am disappointed that you would treat children this way. Was there no organized, respectful way you could have given out those jerseys? I'd also like to know why you chose to bring basket ball jerseys to a refugee camp at all?
This is just a sensationalized account that plays too much on emotions by giving life to stereotypes. Very disappointing.