In the areas around Palabek, farming is a way of life. Communities - including refugees - rely on their crops for food and an income. But because Palabek is the newest refugee settlement in Uganda, people need to start their farms from scratch. This is an adjustment for the host community - the Ugandans who were already living in the area - as well. They sometimes pitch in to support South Sudanese refugees as they get settled in. We thought this was pretty incredible. So we wanted to surprise one Ugandan village with some extra supplies to make sure they weren't stretched too thin. We bought watering cans, seeds, fertilizer, and pesticide sprayers for the whole community. Everyone cheered and sang out in their traditional greeting, feeling joyful and happy as we handed over the supplies! It was a wonderful moment, a time to show up for people who have show up for others. They've given their time and resources to helping their new neighbors - this was a day for us to … [Read more...] about Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
Campaigns
It’s Scholastic
Education is so important. A well-equipped classroom is not only a place to learn and be challenged, it’s a place to figure out your strengths and discover opportunities. This is true for classrooms everywhere, and especially in a refugee camp. But schools in refugee camps face different challenges, too. Getting access to the resources they need – including qualified teachers, books, and materials – isn't always easy. Most schools in Palabek Refugee Settlement can’t afford to buy all the kids school supplies, and their families can’t either. So we put our heads together and came up with a solution for one school in need... Instead of just a one time purchase of school supplies, we established a school supply library! Students can use the supplies while in the classroom (things like pencils, scissors, rulers, and more) and then return them for other students to use during the next class. The teachers were thrilled. “You are looking after these children,” said head … [Read more...] about It’s Scholastic
Serving and Protecting
In an emergency situation like the one happening in Palabek, it takes a true team effort to make sure everyone’s needs are met. One of the biggest needs is making sure people are safe – and that’s where Palabek’s police force comes in. It’s so important to set the police up for success. And right now, they have one major problem. “When the generator goes out, we have no light to help survivors of violence,” said Vicky, the head of the police. “We need to be able to see what condition they’re in.” A generator isn’t always reliable - and it can be expensive to fix. So we decided to find them a fix that they can always depend on. Solar lights and chargers! It’s so easy...they just need put the solar panel out into the sun. Once charged, they can use the lights and night and also as an energy source to charge their phones. Now, wherever they are, they can communicate easily and support refugees who seek help at all hours, day or night. “We are very happy with … [Read more...] about Serving and Protecting
Welcome to Palabek
Welcome to Palabek, Uganda's most recently established refugee settlement and home to over 30,000 refugees. Located just across the border from South Sudan, the camp sprung up when crisis struck in the country, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee. There's so much great need in the camp. But despite that need, the resiliency of everyday people is beginning to shine through. People are seeking a sense of normalcy, and even finding moments of joy. Sports are helping. A women's netball team has gathered, with coach Kavine heading the effort. She and her team play every single day! But they're playing with a makeshift netball and hoops - they don't have real equipment to fuel the game. You may have guessed what came next! With a little boost from the 365 team, Kavine's team scored new balls and hoops for their evening netball matches. “This is so exciting!” said Kavine, “my friends and I love to play netball to stay in shape. It is a great way to spend time with my … [Read more...] about Welcome to Palabek
Cheers to Friends
To cap off a couple of successful weeks doing the doable with Rohingya refugees, we're celebrating and giving thanks to a group that helped to make all this possible - our friends at OBAT Helpers. OBAT has been so essential to getting Rohingya refugees the support they need. But this kind of emergency work also means that they rarely get a time to just sit, relax, and reflect on all the good work they've done. For Day 274, we wanted to change that. The OBAT health team in particular goes above and beyond in everything they do...so we met their generosity with some of our own, getting enough lunch supplies to last their clinic staff for an entire week! Then, we got everyone together to break bread - or eat rice! - drink a cup of tea, and celebrate. The team was surprised at delighted when we handed over the supplies. And our shared meal was a moment to remember, simply taking time to feel the immense amount of gratitude, appreciation, and love felt by all as we wrap … [Read more...] about Cheers to Friends
A House to a Home
Yesterday, we met a husband and wife who finally have a solid roof over their heads. Today, we're welcoming them to their new home. This couple lost all the things that typically make up a home when they fled - like pots, pans, photos, and books. Nothing can replace these things in their hearts. But, we can try to rebuild a sense of home, one step at a time. We put together a kit that will help these two to a fresh start. They now have new cookware, bedding, mats, and to top things off, a brand new beaming coat of paint for their home. The things are everything, but they mean a fresh start. A new life. A little more comfort in difficult times. Some of the items they need to begin moving forward, while staying put. … [Read more...] about A House to a Home
Home at Last
Being forced to flee your home is traumatic, no matter your age. But when you're not quite as nimble as you used to be, being torn from one home to another becomes a major physical challenge. One Rohingya refugee we met is 100 years old. He fled his home in Myanmar, but the journey was difficult. He has trouble walking and needed to be carried as they fled. Once he arrived at the refugee camp, he thought he was in a place where he could rest. But now, a road is scheduled to be built through his new home. He needs to move again. This man and his wife are extremely vulnerable - with both of them having physical limitations, they needed a new home - out of the way of the road - soon. This was something we could handle. We built the couple a new house, bigger and much more soundly constructed than their current shelter. They're safe now, in a home that was built to last. … [Read more...] about Home at Last
Thanking Amanatullah
It's a well known fact among humanitarians that sometimes the most heroic on our teams are also the unsung heroes. And that couldn't be more true for our drivers. Amanatullah is certainly no exception. Amanatullah is always on time, arriving with a smile and a seemingly inexhaustible reserve of energy! He navigates the dusty, bumpy, and muddy roads of the refugees camp with hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees like a pro. He won't ever tell you what he needs, but we noticed that he doesn't have a phone. "He's been trying to get a new phone for six months but he hasn't been able to buy it," said one of his friends. A phone is a really important tool, especially in a place like a large-scale refugee camp. And especially for drivers. They need to be able to communicate to our team and to their family when something might break down, or when there's an unexpected delay. We wanted to do something to thank Amanatullah for the dedication he's shown to us, and to his … [Read more...] about Thanking Amanatullah
A Sound Sleep
Walking into one Rohingya refugee family's shelter, it's clear that their new home could use a little TLC. A family lives there, but the space is crowded. Some of the basics are missing. This is particularly tough for a new edition to the family - an elderly man who the family took in when they fled. The generosity of the family is incredible. They're struggling to support themselves, yet they couldn't let their neighbor go without a roof over his head. But providing for everyone is a challenge. We noticed that this man doesn't have a bed to sleep in - right now, he rests his head on the hard, dusty floor. As soon as we realized there was something we could do to help, it was like a light switched - OF COURSE we could step in to get this man a mattress! With a streak of serendipity, we already had some mattresses in our waiting car, en route to being delivered somewhere else. So we simply pulled one of the mattresses out and gave it to our new friend. As soon as … [Read more...] about A Sound Sleep
United and Confident
Mohib and Mohamed are some pretty incredible people. They've been living as refugees in the Rohingya community for 25 years. Yet they've found ways to not only pursue meaning in their own lives, but to spread hope and joy to others. This dynamic duo have been essential to getting our work with Rohingya refugees off the ground - but that's not the only thing keeping them busy. A few years back, they kickstarted their own soccer team for youth. It gives kids something to dream about, something to look forward to. We knew we wanted to thank this pair of changemakers for everything. But when we asked what we could do to show our appreciation, we shouldn't have been surprised when they instead asked us to support the people their passion - the soccer team. Mohib and Mohamed told us that although the soccer team was established almost 10 years ago, they haven't been able to purchase team jerseys! They've dreamed of showing up on the field looking crisp, fresh, and united. “It … [Read more...] about United and Confident