You probably remember the start of the school year and all the ritual around it. Getting your cutest back to school outfit ready to go, reconnecting with friends, and gathering up all your supplies. Young refugees in Bidi Bidi get excited about the same back to school bustle of activity - but they also face barriers to getting the things they need to feel ready. . Their parents struggle to pull everything together. A backpack goes everywhere with you - it holds all your books, papers, pens, and pencils. So we thought we'd help out by getting some young kids a tool to start the year off right. Our team in Bidi Bidi had the idea to bring a surprise for little ones about to kick off classes - backpacks! The children were over the moon with excitement to get their new bags. They held them close, treasuring the gift. Now these kids can show up to their classes in style, backpacks on their backs, ready to fill them with books and lessons from the new year! This change … [Read more...] about Back to School

This month, we're asking our team in Bidi Bidi to dream up ideas that would make their work better. That includes their service to refugees. But that also includes what might improve their day to day workplace. Joseph, one our teammates, had an idea to make everyone's experience a little more pleasant at the Bidi Bidi office. All of the staff share a latrine. And no one would describe that latrine as smelling like a daisy. Can you guess what Joseph's idea might be...? ...you might have guessed it! Joseph wanted to solve this smelly problem. Em-cleana is a chemical that reduces smell and evaporates the fluid from a latrine. This addition will go a long way in lessening unfavorable fumes during the workday. But he's not stopping there. Joseph also wants to add this chemical to select latrines that need it in the settlement. Who are we to stand in the way of making a place more pleasant smelling? We got 10 cans of Em-cleana and Joseph got to work! Everyone was … [Read more...] about Fresh as a Daisy

Imagine open fields, out in the countryside, maybe dotted here and there with small towns. One day those fields are empty. And the next, a small city has popped up overnight. That's a bit what Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement was like in the early days. Building a new refugee camp from the ground up can happen quickly - and it can catch the neighbors who were already there a bit off guard. But these Ugandan neighbors have been so welcoming to the refugees from South Sudan who have sought safety in Bidi Bidi. Our team knew they wanted to do something to say thanks. And in a farming community, nothing says thank you like helping out with the harvest. We've been working with a Ugandan farming cooperative near Bidi Bidi who are doing so much to give back. Fred, their leader, told us, “We like to get together and be useful to the community!” Sometimes they have trouble getting together and working at the same time, due to a lack of supplies. So we brought rakes, hoes, grass … [Read more...] about Gardening for Good

On Day 289, we saw what a huge impact reusable sanitary pads can have on a group of women - it lifts their worry, makes each month a little easier. But sometimes, you can't predict when - or where - you might need a pad. This is especially true for girls in school. Sometimes they need access to a pad during classes, far away from home, but they're stuck without. When we met with the headmaster of a school in Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement, he filled us in on the problem. "When girls hit puberty," he said, "Sometimes they don't have the right resources. It can even keep kids out of school completely." There are so many challenges keeping girls out of the classroom in Bidi Bidi, especially as they get older. Having your period shouldn't be one of them. So we stocked this school with as many sanitary pads as we could get for $500 - which totaled over 500 pads! “This will really help the students!" said the headmaster. "They need these pads. With them, they can more … [Read more...] about For When You Need It

Everybody has their thing. What they're good at, what they're passionate about. And once you've found your passion, you want to shout it from the rooftops. For Gerald, it's all about soap. Gerald is a soap maker based in Kampala, Uganda. He's seen the value of his skill in the marketplace, and how it can really change a life for the better. And he shares his skills with anyone who will listen. When Gerald graduated from school, he had a very difficult time finding a job. So to keep himself afloat while he searched for a gig in the IT world, he started a soap making business. Two years later, he's a full time soap maker, bringing others into the fold, too. The type of soap he makes can be used for cleaning latrines, clothes, and many other surfaces. It's really useful in a refugee settlement - while also helping families earn an income. So when we asked Gerald to come up to Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement for a soap making workshop, he jumped at the opportunity! … [Read more...] about The Soap Maker

There is a big need for sanitary pads in Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement. But there's no easy way for women to get them - and they're a bit too pricey for most. As a result, every month women and girls face intense worry and marginalization. Some girls even drop out of school. Having access to quality reusable sanitary pads can revolutionize a woman's experience getting her period every month. This was something we could help with. We set out to purchase reusable pads that last for an entire year and gave them to a group of women who were curious how it all worked. Everyone gathered together to get their gift, along with a quick how-to workshop. Goodbye worry, hello brand new day! Reusable sanitary pads are the gift that keeps on giving. These ladies are ready to take on the world knowing that they'll be protected with just one small, discrete, yet powerful change - whenever they need it. This change made possible by Atomic Data. … [Read more...] about Brand New Day

Having a bright smile can mean so much more than what shows on the outside. Being able to flash those pearly whites in moments of joy and laughter, without holding back, fuels a sense of confidence and pride. In Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement, not a lot of kids have ready access to toothbrushes and toothpaste. But as they grow, it's so important that they learn the best ways to take care of their teeth so they can keep on smiling bright for years to come. Our team in Bidi Bidi really wanted to do something to help. They knew they couldn't reach all the kids in the settlement all at once, so they decided to start with what they could do... The team chose five schools that could really use a little boost. And then with bundles of toothpaste and toothbrushes in hand, they set out to get those kids keep their teeth nice and clean. The kids also got a quick lesson on the best ways to go about brushing your teeth. Dental hygiene is critical to keeping that beautiful smile, and … [Read more...] about Smiles So Bright

So many South Sudanese refugees who arrive at Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement are dealing with enormous trauma. They need people to help them process what they've been through - and provide guidance for the challenges still to come. Our team in Bidi Bidi helps refugees begin to heal. We have safe spaces where people can come and talk, tell us about what's going on, and ask for advice on what to do next. As you can imagine, these are very sensitive topics. Everyone needs to feel comfortable and at ease. But there was a problem - there weren't enough seats for everyone waiting to talk. A long wait can but tough - but a long wait with nowhere to sit is even tougher. Having nowhere to sit can make people want to leave early or not come at all. This lack of seating was impacting the quality of our services. So our team wanted to do something about it. We picked up 100 lawn chairs to spread out to all our different sites. The chairs were all put into action that same day - … [Read more...] about Sitting Pretty

Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement is vast - it can take hours and hours to drive from one point to another. For expectant mothers, this can be a little scary. When you go into labor, the last thing you want is for the nearest safe delivery center to be miles away. Plus, most of them get to those centers on foot. Going into labor can happen unexpectedly. But we want these mothers to give birth safely, no matter where they are. Our staff member Maggie had an idea...let's get Mama Kits to as many women who are the furthest afield. Mama Kits hold all the supplies you need to have a baby outside of the hospital. Having a baby without a doctor is not ideal, but having the right supplies makes the delivery much safer. Inside the kits these moms will find things like gloves, hygienic and sterilizing equipment, and everything else you could need. Selena - one of the mothers who received the Mama Kits - told us how thankful she is because her baby is due in 15 days. “Sometimes we are all … [Read more...] about More for Mamas

Kids are kids are kids. No matter where you go in the world, kids are into one thing - having fun with their friends. The case is the same for Bidi Bidi. Children love to run and play throughout the settlement, tossing a football around or coming up with their own games. But with all this rough and tumble play, we noticed something...almost none of these guys had shoes. The surface of Bidi Bidi can be unforgiving at times - hard ground, mud, and sometimes garbage can be underfoot. Not having even a small protection can make kids more susceptible to infection. We wanted to protect the little feet of Bidi Bidi. So we hatched a plan! We purchased large bags of youth-sized sandals and headed out to give them away. Then, we let the word spread. Soon, children were coming from all around to pick up their new kicks! Everybody took turns showing each other their new sandals. Seeing the children run off into the distance, waving their new shoes over their heads was a … [Read more...] about A Plan Underfoot