With Uganda’s refugee policy being the most dynamic and a comprehensive one, for over a period of time it has raised tension among the refugees and their hosting communities over resources which have often led to conflicts that have hindered their peaceful coexistence. AWYAD in partnership with Oxfam with funding from the Belgium government have come up with a project to solve some of these issues concerning resources such as public health, WASH, and both community, district and regional dialogues, radio talk shows and games and sports. Among these is distribution of mama kits to expecting mothers in the refugee settlement and the host community, carrying out home visits to find out issues that result to conflicts in the community and training of adolescent girls and boys on the making of reusable sanitary pads for menstrual hygiene.
ACTIVITIES UNDER DGD.
- Solar distribution to PSNs both in the refugee settlement and the host community.
In an assessment for solar and energy that was conducted in the zones of operation in the refugee settlement and in the host community, a percentage of 70% out of 100% POCs don’t have access to a reliable source of light and ¾ of this population are PSNs i.e. the disabled both children and the old, elderly, mother headed families, pregnant women, orphans and persons with mental illness. The main sources of light used are candles and lanterns, not to mention open fire from fire places, which are not sustainable since they have no source of income and the little cash they receive is not enough to cater for all the other basic needs as well as buy fuel or candles that are bought on a daily basis. The above mentioned sources of light are also not user friendly to the PSNs in case of fire accidents they can easily blaze up since among these people are those that cannot run for their dear lives. AWYAD in partnership with OXFAM with funding from Belgium partnership in development distributed 920 solar lights to EVIs and PSNs to minimize on the risks of accidents and also security most especially during the night.
2. Mama kits
Close to 400 expectant mothers are registered every month in Kyaka II settlement and among these very few have access and also the ability to own a mama kit for safe delivery. AWYAD has been able to provide these mothers mama kits through MTI that runs the health center in Bujubuli where every expectant mother will be registered to receive this support.
3. Radio talk show.
AWYAD has engaged both refugees and the host community structures I.e. the RWCs and the host community local leaders into a radio talk show on resource sharing most especially water. This was aimed at strengthening peaceful coexistence among refugees and the host community since water is everyone’s basic need and as well everyone’s right to have access to it.
4. Dialogues
- The inter – ministerial high level breakfast dialogue; aimed at expressing concern over the increasing number of refugee children in Uganda. This was attended by the, Ass: commissioner for Disaster, state minister for local government, the Deputy prime minister (all by then), members of parliament, district LCV chairpersons and refugee representatives. It was due to the escalating number of refugee children population that is expected to reach 500,000 in ten years without a comprehensive plan of attending to their needs such as;
- (I) right to education for refugees,
- (ii) refugee food security implications and analysis in the COVID era.
As part of the DGD activities AWYAD conducts home visits to find out issues and provide solutions to people in the community.
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