Salesians of Don Bosco Refugee Services
Palabek, Lamwo District
Presence of refugees in Uganda
Uganda is a home to about one million refugees; majority of them come from South Sudan and others are from Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Burundi and others. Though having its own political and economic struggles Uganda welcomes refugees with open hands. Thanks to the generosity and hospitality of ordinary Ugandans refugees find great solace. Today over 10 districts of Uganda hosts refugees who live amidst its citizens; many of them are housed in northern districts.
Salesian presence among refugees in Palabek
Salesians of Don Bosco, one of the largest religious societies within the Catholic Church often chooses to offer humanitarian, educational and spiritual services to the most vulnerable people in the society. Surely refugees are vulnerable in every aspect of life, be it political, economic and social. They stand in need of everyone’s concern. From June 2017 Salesians began to serve the refugees in Palabek in an informal way, mostly offering psychosocial and spiritual support. Palabek Refugee Settlement is in Lamwo district. It is one of the most improvised districts in Uganda which suffered 25 years of political insurgency caused by Lord’s Resistance Army. The district does not have any tarmac road, it has only a handful of schools and a few rural health centers. Now it has the burden of hosting about 40,000 refugees from South Sudan. Indeed the host community too is in need of big assistance that is offered to the refugees.
Psychosocial Support
Salesians of Don Bosco Missionaries began their service among refugees by offering psychosocial support by praying them which emotionally supported them a lot. In the course of one year the missionaries combine prayer with training in leadership and community service, offering counseling and several youth activities in 10 centers. They have put up structures in pieces of land given by the Ugandan host-families. The 10 centers are served by four residing missionaries and further supported by two visiting priests belong to the Maryknoll Missionaries. It is not an exaggeration to say that Salesians are in regular contact with at least 4,000 people, youngsters being the majority.
Educational Support
Unlike the well-established refugee settlements in Adjumani and Moyo, Palabek is a budding settlement that needs a lot of consorted effort of various service providers. Much effort needs to be made in educational, health, livelihood and other basic necessities such as water and sanitation. As it is often stated, refugee settlements are populated by children and women. It is believed that in Palabek there could be over 20,000 children and young people who are in need of primary education and skill training. Among the youth population, the presence of little children below the age of six are very significant. Often every household has more than one child in need of early childhood care. Having moved by this need, the Salesians of Don Bosco through their associated partners are offering Early Childhood Development Programme through four nursery schools situated in four different zones.
Livelihood Support
Through a support from Maryknoll Missionaries a small poultry programme was initiated among 10 farmers. It saw a great success and inspired the Salesians to initiate other programmes such as vegetable cultivation, handicrafts, soap making and bee-keeping. Besides bring little income to the families, it has brought people together, thus bringing peace and joy of living in fraternity. This programme takes opportunity to give participants training in much needed hands-on skills which can be easily expanded and deepened. Indirectly they keep the redundant refugees busy and build dignity and self-confidence. People are also taught to save money, plan their families and gives motivation to educate their children and build their future.
Plans to offer Vocational Training
Palabek Refugee Settlement is full of young people who are school dropouts needing secondary education and skill training. For decades the South Sudanese people missed out in education due to continuous wars and insurgency. In Palabek center the Salesians have acquired a piece of land and began setting up a Vocation Training Centre to give vocational skills to youth, both the refugees and the natives. The school gives skills and hope. Those interested in knowing more about Salesians of Don Bosco Refugee Services and are interested in supporting our efforts may contact us.
Salesians of Don Bosco, Palabek, Lamwo District
Tel. +256 777 579 882
Email: arasuafrica@gmail.com
Website: www.donboscopalabek.org
« Le salésien est appelé à avoir le sens du concret et est attentif aux signes des temps, convaincu que le Seigneur se manifeste aussi à travers les urgences du moment et des lieux » (art. 19 Constitutions SDB) en répondant rapidement aux besoins des jeunes. Dans le monde actuel, un grand défi est constitué par les jeunes contraints de quitter leur foyer pour se déplacer à l’intérieur de leur propre pays (personnes déplacées ou « IDP ») ou à l’extérieur (réfugiés). Selon les données des Nations Unies, 71 millions de personnes dans le monde sont contraintes de fuir et de chercher refuge loin de chez elles ; parmi elles, 26 millions sont des réfugiés. La Congrégation donne une réponse concrète à Palabek, en Ouganda. L’Ouganda est le troisième Pays d’accueil des réfugiés, avec 1,4 million de réfugiés, notamment du Sud-Soudan et de la République Démocratique du Congo. Depuis deux ans, les Salésiens se sont installés dans le village de Palabek en essayant d’animer les communautés présentes : par l’oratoire, la pastorale de 16 chapelles, une école technique et bien d’autres projets. Le P. Martín Lasarte, SDB, et Marco Fulgaro, collaborateur laïc du Département des Missions, se sont rendus à Palabek début janvier pour accompagner l’évaluation du travail éducatif-pastoral réalisé et de la vie communautaire de ces deux premières années, ainsi que pour planifier ensemble les étapes futures. À Palabek, la frontière étant très proche, 53 000 Sud-Soudanais ont fui la guerre avec le rêve de rentrer bientôt chez eux. Il y a beaucoup de travail à faire, comme nombreux sont aussi les jeunes : pour s’en rendre compte, il suffit de regarder autour de soi pendant le tournoi de football en cours en ces jours, avec 16 équipes, masculines et féminines, qui s’affrontent devant un large public venu de tout Palabek (si l’on considère que la route à l’intérieur du village fait 20 km de long). Un défi important pour les Salésiens est la formation des catéchistes et des animateurs de jeunesse. Sisto Oià, un religieux de la Congrégation des Apôtres de Jésus, qui travaille dans le district d’Adjumani, près de Palabek, et Mgr Sabino Odoki, l’évêque d’Arua, responsable des réfugiés au sein de la Conférence épiscopale, l’ont confirmé à l’Epiphanie. Les Salésiens se sont également ouverts à d’autres colonies, comme Kyaka, mais les ressources pastorales disponibles sont encore peu nombreuses. L’espoir est qu’aux six Salésiens actuellement présents à Palabek, d’autres puissent bientôt s’ajouter et que, avec les laïcs et les volontaires, ce précieux service de promotion humaine et d’évangélisation puisse être étendu. (Source: www.sdb.org)