My work in the USA has been with resettled refugees from countries torn apart by civil war, protracted ethnic violence, and civil society breakdown from outside influences. I’ve met Somali women whose villages have burned, their husbands shot, and families destroyed. I have taught Afghan girls whose mother was murdered in front of them because she was spreading the value of education as a teacher and Kurdish who’ve been brutalized by their neighbors for decades. But it has always been the Sudanese men, women, and children whose vivacity has intrigued me, enlightened me, and, sometimes, scared me.
I wanted to come to Uganda to work with displaced Sudanese refugees, but that hasn’t exactly panned out, as my development work is with Ugandan nationals, who are rebuilding their society after a multitude of atrocities displaced them from their lands and livelihoods in the mid 80s following Amin and Obote and in the 90s from internal uprisings of the West Nile Bank Front, the UNRF, and neighboring LRA.
This weekend marked my introduction to field work with refugees in Uganda – I was invited, and included as a special guest, in a graduation celebration and ceremony at Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement, in the Rhino Camp sub-county. An hour’s drive from Arua town, on a rather miserable road, Rhino Camp is far from the visions of squalor I’ve held of life “in camp.” This is largely due to the generosity of the Ugandan government in their refugee assistance policies – the 225 square meters comprising Rhino Camp and governed by UNHCR allow for the refugee populations to have land both for living and cultivating, which in turn promotes greater livelihood. Of particular interest to me was the seemingly seamless integration of the Sudanese and the Ugandan nationals who lived on the land before the introduction of the refugee populations.
Jesuit Refugee Services is one of UNHCR’s implementing partners; Sunday was the culmination of a year and a half long JRS program empowering women through economic development in the form of a tailoring course. 88 women completed the class and were able to purchase foot pedal sewing machines that they will be able to take with them when repatriation comes (in the near future!).
Some staff of another implementing partner, Right to Play, were driving from Arua town to Rhino and were ale to give me a ride – I was also able to visit some of the work they are doing. The day started with traditional breakfast – the equivalent of [Georgia] sweet tea and donut holes.
Joseph, one of the Right to Play drivers, a Lugbara from Eastern Equitoria, came to Rhino Camp years ago and still has a strong connection with people in the villages:
Photography has always carried me far, and quickly, especially with digital; the surest approach to winning a child’s heart is through a quick portrait and an even quicker display of said portrait to said child:
Right to play are teaching people how to coach teams – I was brought to one of the training classrooms and introduced to a very lovely consultant called Henry…
We returned from one village within the camp to Ocea, the village where the graduation ceremony was to take place. My JRS contact, an American pastor or boonia is Lugbara, Father Tibs, brought me to the church where he leads mass:
Children outside the church:
Painted inside:
My favorite photo from the day:
After a tour of the tailoring classroom, the multipurpose room, and the church, I was ushered to the seating area for the special guests…
My view:
Sudanese fleeing war in southern Sudan are of mixed tribal backgrounds, including Acholi, Madi, Nuer, Dinka,and others.
The ceremony, in true Ugandan fashion was full of long speeches (translated/interpreted first from English, into Lugbara, into Juba Arabic) and full of different dances, songs, and other entertainment:
Acholi Dancers
The movement of the women’s feet is incredible – video coming soon! This was particularly great as so many of the girls from my work at RFS would start to show me how to dance, but burst into fits of laughter and never finish showing me the moves :)
Happy mama dancing with sticks and leaves:
An Acholi man and spear jumped in front of my camera and nearly scared me to death – this, of course, delighted all of the audience:
Drums:
The Band:
A percussion instrument:
The ceremony continued after the Lugbara and Madi dancers and moved into my first African Drag Show! Drama is frequently used for advocacy and in this instance, entertainment! These gentlemen were depicting the classroom experience under the strict teacher, Mustafa.
With a very attentive audience:
I think I was the first white person this baby had ever seen, because soon after this photo it burst into tears:
Father Tibs led one of the countless afternoon prayers, and, as he is leaving for the states at the end of this month, he was given a proper going away gift:
Father Tibs was also part of the preparations for the day, as he helped in the slaughter of a bull for THE MEAL to end all meals…
While I’ve depicted a glorious day in Rhino Camp (more photos here) it isn’t always so lovely. A few people were quick to point out that this could very well have been the most important day in the lives of many of these women: recognition and celebration are rare when living outside your country because of persecution.
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