Thousands of refugees are in need of trauma healing, even as MAF and ACROSS work together to support them.
Bidibidi, the largest refugee settlement in Uganda, is host to over 250,000 displaced people, mostly from South Sudan.
Some people have tried to return home, but many have been killed in war, while others have returned to the camps for safety.
“When I was escaping,” David Wani, a church leader said. “I saw a woman who was cut open. She was pregnant and the baby was brought out. These are some of the children we are now struggling with.”
These challenges have led to several suicide cases in the camp.
MAF flies ACROSS, a non-government organisation that facilitates trauma healing for the refugees using Bible stories and other resources.
“I went through a lot in the refugee camp and because of sickness, I could not work,” said Cecilia Sunday, from South Sudan.
After her long illness, Cecilia’s husband had abandoned her and her seven children, marrying another wife. With the help of her uncle, Cecilia struggled to escape to Uganda amidst her weakness.
“I tried committing suicide because of these many challenges,” she said. “But then I was enrolled for the trauma healing training with ACROSS. The Bible stories that they shared in the training helped restore my hope.”
This testimony is an encouragement for MAF to continue flying to deliver more help, hope and healing.
I tried committing suicide because of the many challenges.
Samuel Malish, team leader for ACROSS in Uganda said: “MAF helps us to fly our staff from South Sudan to Arua. Movement between our offices would be very difficult if MAF were not there because traveling by road is not safe, and some roads are not even usable.”
As more refugees shared their story, it became clear that a lot more must be done to restore their dignity.
“It’s painful that we were welcomed warmly to this place as refugees, but the people that received us soon got tired of us,” said Victor Banja, the chairman at Village 9.
In addition to the trauma they faced during their escape from war, there are other challenges that are making the situation more complicated, as David explained.
“We were received well when we came from our country, but now they have put us in categories, even a person with disabilities is now in a category which doesn’t receive food at all,” he said.
As UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) reduced support, other NGOs that have been supporting have either left or reduced support too.
“Our children are just loitering around the camp because they lack school fees,” David added. “We are tired! We lost everything and we are tired. Please pray for us, we need to go home whether it is good or bad.”
Acquiring basic needs is a huge challenge.
“Sometimes we even fail to get soap to wash our clothes,” David said. “We lost our country, but sickness doesn’t care whether we have money or not. There’re no drugs in the few available clinics.
“We share this because we need you to please pray for us.”
MAF, in collaboration with ACROSS, are determined to continue supporting the refugees to heal from their trauma, even as they rebuild their lives.
“The training healed me from trauma,” said 25-year-old Isaac Lemu. “And I have been helping parents to identify trauma from their children. I received hope, and I know that even if we are suffering today, things will get better.”