“This community, they are so hopeful.”
Andrew is one of our teammates based in Uganda. During a visit to Kyangwali Refugee Settlement, he was bowled over by the incredible hope shown by one community in particular.
“So many of their neighbors have gone back to Congo,” said Andrew. “So I asked one person why they’ve decided to stay, even though they have been forgotten. They said they still have hope that someone will remember them. They live in positivity.”
This community in Kyangwali is welcoming to everyone who might help to spark change, including the local police force.
In Kyangwali, police officers live within each village, helping connect refugees to resources they need, acting as their voice, and their protector.
“They are living with the police like one community,” said Andrew. “You cannot differentiate the two.”
But the police didn’t have their own designated shelter. They were sleeping in tents, and working out in the open.
“These are very special humans,” said Andrew, “to do their jobs despite not having a real place to do it.”
The change they needed was clear – a brand new police shelter for these dedicated public servants. So we got to work, hand in hand with Igor, our water and shelter expert, and the rest of the ARC Kyangwali team.
For Andrew in particular, this was a meaningful moment of change to be a part of. “They want to help the community in harmony,” he said. “This shelter puts something over their heads. It makes their job a little easier to do.”
