Today, we are continuing to make change in Oruchinga, a small refugee community in Uganda. With less than $500, we are adding a little color, too! We are working with Albert and Charles, two young artists, to create a mural wall that will tell a powerful message. "We believe that people learn by seeing, pictures communicate more to someone," says Jennifer, ARC's Case Management Officer in Oruchinga. We wanted the mural to convey messages that we use every day in counseling because, as Jennifer explains, "the root cause of gender-based violence is embedded in power. Everyone has power and how they are using it affects the community." The mural shows ways the community can work together, to use their power, their voice in the world for good – kids that choose not to bully, an imam and pastor promoting peace, families committing to non-violence. "When the community sees the painting it rings a bell and people realize this can be in their community," says Jennifer. … [Read more...] about Pictures Communicate More

Our team in Oruchinga refugee settlement works hard to provide support to the community. When you come to the office, you'll often find it empty because our team is out and about meeting with community members face to face. Here in Oruchinga, providing counseling is what we do best and having a safe and confidential environment is an important aspect of this work. So, today we are setting out to makeover an office space into a counseling space complete with décor and objects to make children feel welcome too. "Initially, this was just an office. It didn’t' tell anyone this is a safe space for counseling," explains Helen, one of our Protection Counselors in Oruchinga. We started by moving everything out and painting the walls with positive messages and characters and scenes that would make a child feel comfortable. Adding simple touches such as colorful walls and toys was important and Helen explained why they were so key to being able to provide counseling. "When … [Read more...] about A Welcoming Space for Kids

Yesterday, we got to be a part of the excitement of putting in a playground at an Early Child Development center in Oruchinga refugee settlement. We talked to Jennifer - whose idea it was to help the center - about the importance of play in encouraging learning. "If we have things that will stimulate learning and create interest, the children will maintain their habit of going to school. If there's nothing interesting there, why will they keep coming back?" So, Jennifer set to work on another idea. She knew that with little resources, we could get a supply of fun, educational materials. We searched the shops in Mbarara town for just the right items. When we brought the number and ABC charts, coloring books, reading books and building blocks to the classroom, one mother exclaimed "Oh, we thank you very much. With these things, knowledge will be added on." Doing the doable means that there is nothing too small, nothing too insignificant. Every small thing can make a big … [Read more...] about Fresh Learning Supplies

Grab your chair and join the action! Today we are putting up a playground at an Early Childhood Development center in Oruchinga refugee settlement. "This Early Child Development center was built by the parents of this community," explains Jennifer, our Case Management Officer in Oruchinga, "while the parents are out in their fields in the morning these kids, instead of being home, can be learning." Each day, these kids carry their chairs to their small one-room classroom to learn the basics like ABCs, animals and colors. "They have such a small space for learning, but all of this land. We could give them something safe to play on and enjoy the outdoors," Jennifer suggested. So, we set out to see what kind of play equipment we might find for just $500. As soon as the playground arrived, disassembled on the truck, the kids ran outside, abandoning their ABCs and lining up their chairs to watch their very own playground unfold. The squeals of excitement and the … [Read more...] about A Playground for Preschoolers

We are back at the deaf unit at Kajaho Primary School in Oruchinga Refugee Settlement. Yesterday, we saw how doing the doable made learning and teaching easier here at Kajaho. We met Dorothy, one of the dedicated teachers who works with these students each and every day. "When they come to us they don't believe in themselves," says Dorothy. "But when they play and cooperate they see that they can be someone in the community. I'm deaf, I'm disabled, it goes away when they play." Doing the doable is about always listening to the ideas around you and seeing what can be done in the moment. We know that exercise and play are important for a child's development. What Dorothy said gave us an idea about how we could do the doable once again for Kajaho Primary. We already had some outdoor games that we thought could bring more play to this classroom. All we needed was a few more balls and some indoor games to make it all happen! "Today we are feeling big!" exclaimed Mercy, one … [Read more...] about A Few Games and Toys

Today, we are at the deaf unit at Kajaho Primary School in Oruchinga Refugee Settlement. We are here with Mercy, one of our protection staff, who is excited to do the doable for this group of students that she met a few months ago. "I saw them perform a skit at the community center and oh, I fell in love with them!" So, we set out to visit their classroom and see what just $500 could do. These 28 students use sign language to communicate and as their teacher Madam Lydia explained, "they learn best when they see." The classroom is full of hand-drawn pictures, plastered on the wall. This is what they had been using to teach new vocabulary. But, this was really just the basics. Madam Lydia had an idea that would expand their learning in a big way – a projector and screen. "With a projector, we can teach visually; when we show the images, they'll say 'aha'," said Madam Lydia. It was a simple idea – just a few items needed to make a difference. With Mercy and the team's … [Read more...] about A Picture’s Worth A Thousand Words

We’ve traveled back to Southwestern Uganda, but this time we’re in Oruchinga, a small refugee settlement that’s been there for nearly six decades. It’s home to nearly 6,000 people that have fled from their homes in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and Rwanda. They are finding ways to stay connected to home and find peace among their Ugandan neighbors and fellow refugees. So what better than an intercultural festival to do just that. Our team got a few megaphones and set to work spreading the word and inviting everyone to the event. The community came together to share song, dance and traditions that strengthen their ties to home. “We passed through war, but when we dance we forget what happened and sleep well,” says Mariam from Burundi. A crowd of nearly 400 gathered to see the performances - the Burundian drummers, the Rwandese marriage ceremony – each is a way to learn from each other and to hold on to something valuable after leaving everything else … [Read more...] about Welcome to Oruchinga