Most of the South Sudanese have now walked out of Sudan to escape the civil war and the marauding soldiers. The Ugandan authorities have been overwhelmed by the numbers, but are doing their best to cope with large refugee settlements. While large agencies like UNHCR and the World Food Programme meet some of the immediate emergency needs of these people, Afrinspire is involved through our partners with specific groups of people whom we know and who are now in the camps.
One Afrinspire partner, John Noah Komi, writes, "I have just returned this week from Morobi
Camp in Moyo District where my wife Edina lives. I visited two nursery schools started by the community. They are learning under trees in a desperate condition without blackboards, books, pens etc. There are 12 nursery schools in the Morobi settlement which are all in the same condition. You can see the situation for the children. We need help for these nursery schools with scholastic material."
John adds "I met children who have been separated from their parents, so I picked three of them who are now under our care in our home but there are more like these lost children in the camps. We have now a total of 13 children under our care."
Pastor Komi, his wife Edina and their three grown-up children, Simon, Iman and Duki, are all living or working and volunteering in different camps. They are seeking to find and re-unite people and have gathered the orphans who have been split from their parents and started community groups and schools. It is the fourth time in his life that John Noah Komi has left South Sudan as a refugee.
Afrinspire has continued to support these Sudanese communities by buying animals for families in Dama Camp, sending school materials to the nursery schools in Morobi Camp and one adult literacy group in Morobi, and sending money to put up a roof for a school. We sent money for 12 sewing machines for a tailoring class among the refugees and are now trying to buy a further 8, so as to provide employment for 20 people.
These people believe in helping themselves and creating sustainable development. Our continued support gives them hope. It provides structure and community cohesion and helps to rebuild lives after the trauma of fleeing from war. Pastor Komi and his family are working relentlessly to support those in settlements. Currently, the main need is for funding for farming, school materials, clothes and more shelters for schools. Please contact us if you would like to help.
