Uganda - Watching Over the Refugees

Network e-Bulletin, April 2020, No. 5

Message from Fr. Josiemarie Kizito

2000 Graduate

Chaplain / Director of St. Patrick’s Center for Integral Development (SPACID)

Kyangwali Refugee Settlement Camp

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Fr. Kizito

Here is Fr. Kizito, 2000 ARI graduate. Now I am working in the Kyangwali Refugee Settlement Camp in Uganda. Thank you so much for checking on us ARI graduates to see how we are coping up with the prevailing and deadly worldwide pandemic, COVID-19.

Yes, it is quite difficult to explain all about it and how we in the refugee settlement are dealing with it. This settlement camp is accommodating 120,250 refugees from all surrounding war-torn countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, Rwanda, and Burundi. There are also some from Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, and Ethiopia.

In this situation of the Coronavirus, the numbers are overwhelming. Compliance to the presidential as well as the WHO’s directive concerning protective measures against this pandemic are a must. This is indeed our primary duty as Humanitarian Organizations (NGOs), which at the moment are 32 in number at the Kyangwali Refugee Settlement, including our organization, St. Patrick’s Center for Integral Development. We sensitize the refugees on how to implement the directives concerning COVID-19 and we do a lot of prayer, alone and with staff in the house, asking God to intervene for the world.

Especially, we educate the refugees about the necessity of social distancing. We are hosting a large number of ethnic groups and, thank God, the nature of our settlement camp is naturally a self-quarantined one. Unlike the common image of a refugee camp crowded with tents, we have vast land on which the refugees live in simple houses and engage in farming. Our challenge comes from the fact that we are at, or beyond, maximum capacity. We must also deal with the many and various cultural traditions of each of the tribes. However, being used to social suffering and unwarranted conditions as refugees, they tend to be compliant to the directives and the response is surprisingly good.

With all that, the budget of different humanitarian NGOs, including that of the Government of Uganda is overstretched. Consequently, many essential supplies, like food, water, and medical facilities are much reduced. This is impacting our massive refugee community, but we are still able to supply the minimum for survival. The refugees understand and appreciate this situation.

Once again, thank you for your concern about us, and for the ARI family all over the world. As an ARI graduate and director of this organization, SPACID, COVID-19 is a giving me an opportunity to review with my staff our performance as a charitable organization for refugees, so we may make corrections and plan for a better future. My staff and I are spending most of our time working on projects like fish farming, poultry, crop gardens, fruit orchards (especially mangos), bee keeping, and cattle rearing. We are in constant use of the knowledge and skills that I happily acquired from the most rewarding course at ARI in 2000.

God bless you.

SPACID mango orchard and kindergarten

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Update – April 23, 2020

message from Fr. Josiemarie Kizito

We are still under lock-down. Not one of our 120,655 refugees have become infected yet. Thank God! But we are on strict measures. Meanwhile many out of the 32 NGOs working here have halted their activities. We remain only a few and all are staying at my center - SPACID.

Surprisingly, one of the most resourceful staff members of one of the NGOs, an Indonesian national, who looks Chinese by complexion, was recently booed out of the settlement by the refugees themselves. Jerry slowly fled back to Kampala. But he is okay.

So, things aren't easy with the COVID-19 virus. Not a laughing matter! With prayer all will be overcome.