Uganda launches appeal as South Sudan refugees flee turmoil
From Church of England Newspaper.
AN URGENT call for funds to help fleeing refugees from embattled South Sudan has been issued by the Archbishop of Uganda.
The Archbishop of Uganda, the Most Rev Stanley Ntagali, issued his appeal last week following the influx of South Sudanese refuges in West Nile and Northern Uganda.
Archbishop Ntagali said that there was a need for the Church in Uganda to supplement government efforts to respond to South Sudanese refugees in Uganda.
In his appeal, he said that the increasing numbers of refugees still need shelter, food, clothing, psycho-social support, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH); and for their sustainable livelihood, the need to acquire vocational skills is a requirement.
He said that the Church of Uganda has all the required staff for ensuring that the required services to such vulnerable communities receive what can make them ‘realise their potential’.
An accompanying document to the appeal explains a situation that has seen an influx of refugees from South Sudan into Uganda following the collapse of the Transitional Government of National Unity due to fighting that erupted on 7 July 2016 between the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), government forces of President Salva Kiir, and Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO), loyal to the former first Vice President Dr Riek Macha.
Recent clashes have led to the loss of around 300 lives and internally displaced over 36,000 people. It explains that due to the fragile nature of the political climate in South Sudan, Uganda will continue to receive refugees.
Ntagali stressed that throughout her history, the Church of Uganda (COU) has offered holistic ministry in a non-discriminatory manner to her members and to Ugandans who are not church members. He added that services to refugees and displaced persons has been one of the successes of the Church of Uganda.
The Archbishop recalled that the Church lived with, and provided for, the displaced people in the 20-year LRA rebel insurgency in the war-torn East and Northern Uganda in the Dioceses of Kitgum, Northern Uganda, Lango, Teso, and Madi-West Nile.
Against this background, the Church of Uganda conducted a needs assessment among the refugees that have been entering Uganda since last July. He said increasing numbers of refugees are still entering into Uganda.
The Ugandan Church has now launched an urgent appeal to support these priority needs of shelter, sanitation facilities, psychosocial support, food and non- food items and the response focus on offering relief services to the refugees settled in Pagirinya, Bidibidi, Rhinno and Elebu settlements and any other new locations yet to be decided.
In addition to these plans, the Church of Uganda plans to construct 12 classrooms purposed for vocational skills training, 30 latrines stances and supply 324 desks in addition to facilitating capacity building of teachers in a bid to enable more refugee children and youth attend school.
If you would like to donate to the Church of Uganda appeal please use the Donate Button on the Anglican Mainstream website (top right) and please indicate that your gift is for the Church of Uganda refugee appeal Related Posts
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