The Nakivale team is always excited about their work, always positive and generous. And this has a lot to do with their leader – Richard Khaemba. Richard is ARC's Regional Coordinator. And he fuels the Nakivale team's spirit. He provides positive and warm support, knows when to step in and when to take a step back. “Richard is relational and has had our backs as staff," said Sonia, one of our teammates at Nakivale. "He is a father and a friend.” Richard is already well connected to his team in a relationship sense, but when it comes to work in the field it can get a little more complicated. His phone is old and unreliable, which makes it difficult to connect to his team when they're off in the furthest corners of the refugee settlement. So on Day 323, we wanted to make Richard's work just a little bit easier by connecting him to his team, wherever they are, with a new phone! With his brand new phone, Richard will be able to communicate those positive affirmations … [Read more...] about The Better to Hear You With
Campaigns
Just Like Riding a Bike
Nakivale is home to over 120,000 refugees. And they rely on ARC water points throughout the camp for all their water needs - there are no other sources. This is where our plumbers, the unsung heroes of Nakivale, come in. They help send 30,000 liters of water per week to the farthest reaches of Nakivale. That is a LOT of water - and that means there is always a need for the plumbers! But when you live in a refugee settlement as large as Nakivale, getting around can be difficult. The plumbers have to travel all over the camp, fixing problems as they come up. So with the rest of our Nakivale staff, we formulated a plan to surprise the plumbers with an easier way to get around the settlement. The surprise? Bicycles! Bicycles are a quick way to traverse the roads of Nakivale and reach the water points that need repair in a timely manner. Not only does this keep them from spending so much time traveling, but it also helps serve the people who are reliant on the water more … [Read more...] about Just Like Riding a Bike
Justice for All
At Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda, one of the ways we serve refugees there is with water – lots of it. Our extensive water system pulls from a nearby lake, purifies the water, and then distributes that water to 42 points throughout the settlement. And it’s the only water that the over 120,000 refugees living in Nakivale have access to. So it goes without saying – it’s important that the system doesn’t break down. That’s where Justice comes in. He leads and oversees a team of plumbers who walk the pipeline and fix any problems that come up. “This is a 24 hour job,” says Andrew, our Operations Officer at Nakivale. “Justice is awake at all times to make sure that water gets to where it needs to go.” Justice could use a few things to help him do his job, efficiently and safely. So for Day 321, we decided to do a little something special for him. “Justice has a passion for this work,” says Andrew. “He’s proactive.” And you can see this passion right away with … [Read more...] about Justice for All
Office Space
At Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda, we work with a lot of partners – from health providers to the police. But there’s one partner in particular we really couldn’t do without – the Refugee Welfare Council. “RWC leadership is the first point of contact for information of what’s going on in the community," explains Sonia, one of our Protection Officers. “They support us in identifying abuse cases, referrals to hospitals and the court system, things like that. Without their support, we wouldn’t be able to help nearly as many women, girls, and vulnerable people in Nakivale.” The Refugee Welfare Council team recently upgraded to newer offices in the settlement. But there was one problem – they didn’t have any office supplies. So for Day 320, we’re helping make their offices whole, so they can settle in and get back to doing what they do best. We got the Refugee Welfare Council team all the things they’ll need to work smoothly in their new space - pens, pencils, … [Read more...] about Office Space
Their First Real Job
A lot of us have been there before – you've graduated from college, gotten a job or an internship, and moved into a place of our own. You've started your new, adult life. But there's just one problem – you don't have a lot of stuff. "Most of our volunteers are on their own for the very first time," said Sonia of the ARC Nakivale team. "They don't even have things like plates, cups, forks, and knives." But these young recruits play a very important role in Nakivale. "They fill the gap that we have, because the number of staff is not enough to cover every single place. With them, we're able to have bigger coverage,” said Sonia. So on Day 319, we surprised our hardworking volunteers with a first-time-on-your-own starter pack! Right now we have six volunteers who have just graduated from University. Since most of them are still looking for experience, kicking their careers off with ARC is the perfect fit. "I have a passion for this type of work," said Carolyn, one … [Read more...] about Their First Real Job
Let There Be Light
South Sudan is one of the toughest places ARC works. But despite the challenges, our teams do amazing work in even the most remote areas. Working in 26 health facilities, including managing a couple of hospitals, our health teams save lives - responding to devastating cholera outbreaks and delivering thousands of healthy newborn babies each year. But there’s one problem – electricity. Because of ongoing insecurity, there are constant fuel shortages. The generators that the teams rely on get shut off frequently, leaving the hospitals in total darkness. “90% of South Sudan plunges into darkness at one time,” said Stanford Phirri, one of our nurses. “Sometimes in the middle of an operation the generator goes out,” explained Dr. Joseph Okello, our surgeons. “We have to search for a flashlight or use the light on our phones in the operating theatre.” We saw a simple solution for these incredible Changemakers – headlamps. Our human resources team in South Sudan helped us … [Read more...] about Let There Be Light
Birdies for Well-Being
Exercise, relaxation, and a little fun can help a lot when the going gets tough. But our teams in South Sudan don’t have great ways to exercise or get away from the stresses of work. They live in compounds that hold both the ARC office and their living apartments, which is convenient - but sometimes a little boring. “We have nothing at all to do,” says Dr. Henry Esame, our County Hospital Coordinator in South Sudan. “We cannot leave the compound, and sometimes we sit alone in our private rooms.” Because of the security risks, there is no walking or exercising allowed outside of the compound. Curfew is at 7pm. But their jobs can be extremely challenging – especially for our health teams. They need to something to reboot and relax. “We try to do things together on Sunday to start the week off well,” continued Dr. Henry. “The hospital staff has to be stable and ready to face the week.” So for Day 317, we decided to do something small to make those Sundays just a little more … [Read more...] about Birdies for Well-Being
Including ACEs
Yesterday, we were at the ACE Awards in Sioux Falls - we sponsored the important event that recognizes members of the South Sudanese doing important work. But we also learned that some people wouldn't be able to attend the event without some support. Moses Tut, the creator behind the ACE Awards, envisioned the event as one in which any South Sudanese could attend. No limits, no barriers. Just a gathering of community members to celebrate and dream even bigger. However, with a ticket price of $20, he knew that the cost would prohibit many from attending. So, on Day 316 we wanted to remove that barrier - and help anyone who wanted to attend but not could not afford the price. The ACE Awards are such an important community event, we wanted everyone there who wanted to be. With our Changemakers 365 daily budget of $500, we were able to offer complimentary tickets to 25 more members of the South Sudanese diaspora to attend the event! To have an extra 25 people in the room made a big … [Read more...] about Including ACEs
Recognizing ACEs
The US, specifically the Midwest, is home to a large South Sudanese diaspora population. Moses Tut is a member of this South Sudanese diaspora - he now lives here in Minneapolis and is making a huge impact in the world. One of Moses’ priorities is taking a moment to recognize all of the accomplishments of the South Sudanese community. He wants to acknowledge all of the good that the community is doing and also spur more good. So he created this thing called the ACE Awards. The ACE Awards stand for the South Sudan Arts, Culture, & Entertainment (ACE) Awards. It's an annual event that aims to recognize South Sudanese for their achievements in various fields - including Musician of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Designer of the Year, Athlete of the Year, Model of the Year and Humanitarian of the Year. The purpose of ACE is to empower the South Sudanese in the community. As one of the only humanitarian organizations that is operating in South Sudan and one that has been … [Read more...] about Recognizing ACEs
Beyond Younique
Kong James is another member of the South Sudanese diaspora. He lives in Sioux Falls with his mother and six siblings. He is an entrepreneur by nature and has co-founded a lifestyle brand called Beyond Younique. So far Beyond Younique has two companies under the umbrella organization – a clothing company and a music company. Their motto is “Be Rare, Stay True, Be You”. Beyond Younique sends a positive message to people to love their bodies, no matter what shape or size, and accept themselves as they are. On the clothing side, they make customized everyday apparel, largely through screen printing. So far their clients are primarily non-profit organizations and student-run groups at schools. Kong and his two business partners work out of the garage at his home, taking up all three stalls! In the year that they’ve been operating, they’ve come a long way, growing a little bit more with every order they receive. Their dream is to open a store front! However, one thing that has stalled … [Read more...] about Beyond Younique