TRANSFORMING LIVES

Resettling people from camps for displaced people 

NEW HOPE - NEW LIVES

The Karamojong incursions and the LRA insurgencies have had longstanding impacts on the Teso people in the north which shattered dozens of communities and the lives of thousands.

This has resulted in:

• The creation of large camps for security
• The desertion of the countryside with the abandonment of the long established villages
• The destruction of key infrastructure such as  schools, water points and churches business premises
• The killing of many - notably the men -  resulting in many families with one or no parents
• The destruction of agriculture and live stock
• The long term memory of the nightmare of incursions by vicious armed men in the local people

In 2006, in Katakwi there were an estimated 133,000,  45% of the 2002 Census population.

In the affected areas of insurgency south of  Katakwi, better security means that the people feel able to return from the Internally Displaced People (IDP) camps to where they used to live. BUT...

• The land has been desolate for 3+ years and is overgrown with weeds and scrub
• Family members have been lost from being killed or through disease
• Infrastructure has been damaged by the insurgents eg schools, Churches, health centres
• Water points have collapsed through lack of maintenance
• The families have no seed, tools, animals or equipment to start farming again
• Their homes have been damaged or destroyed

Contact us here to find out how you can help

The communities badly need help to re-establish their lives, and people are very eager to restart and willing to respond very well to any efforts to assist them.

Internally Displaced People (IDP), Amuria

TDT and its partners have taken action

Wera

The  sub district of Wera (10 km north of Soroti) is an area with 10,000 people in four parishes –Suguru, Angole, Amolu and Angole in which we  have achieved much.

The community of Angole has had the provision of a very productive borehole (costing £5000)serving 330 households (2000 people). The community has reported considerable benefits from improved health and the proximity of a quality water source.

Wera borehole

The  community of Suguru (600 households) was desolate until about 18 months ago until the PAG (Pentecostal Assemblies of God)  started work with the aid of TDT. Tools such as axes, pangas and hoes, and seed such as maize, cassava and ground nuts have been provided along with much development support, including the establishment of an elected community committee led by the local PAG pastor (Stephen Okello) to lead developments and be a voice concerning needs and to reconcile conflicts. (TDT has invested  £6600 and helped 284 families in this and adjacent communities).

 
Suguru people

The community has been rebuilding its homes and the area is now well farmed with a variety of crops: Sorghum, millet, cassava and ground nuts. There is a sense of optimism and a set of proposals to establish value added activities such as a grinding mill for ground nuts and a micro loan fund to assist the village grow more and widen their income base. The Microfinance cooperative already has 201 members.

Revival Time Ministries have contributed a programme where women - formerly IDPs - have been taught literacy and numeracy and how to do business, funded by £4000 from TDT. The women had been neglected in education but are typically full of ability and desire to develop income and food provision for their families.

RTM literacy tutors

There have been 13 classes in different communities. The results are impressive with 28 women trained as tutors. 320 took part with 91 taking exams.

The scheme included a revolving loan fund that has given out 199 loans to 44 groups on a repaying basis. The group is now well organised and registered with the local authority. Typical income generating projects have been cash crops, trading goods and setting up eating places. The revolving fund is self managed by the women who monitor each other’s repayments and help each other if in difficulties. Repayment rates are over 90%.

Willa

One year ago this area was desolate and the people living in camps in Amuria town. The Church of Uganda undertook a detailed survey in the summer of 2006 of the village of Olwatai and on receiving support from TDT began work in September. A community worker was appointed to lead the work and the following has been provided to each family:

A goat, heavy hoe, mosquito net, blankets, cassava roots.

Aid being given to Willa people

The community has been given a communal pair of oxen and plough to open up land for cultivation. A community committee was formed to lead the initiative.

The fields around the village have been opened up and crops of cassava planted. Homes are being rebuilt and a new sense of community is now in being. 400 people in 120 households have been aided.

A further programme was funded in Okungoro - an adjacent community - by German friends of TDT with a similar package of aid given to 60 households.

The Challenge

The plight of large numbers of IDPs remains serious but the point has been reached where the majority can return if they are able to.

The TDT programme with its partners has achieved very tangible results in transforming the lives of 5 communities in Wera and Amuria at a small cost per household, assisted into become self supporting in food.
Communities have been given new lives through our support but more needs to be done - and you can help.

Key needs are to help more households resettle:

• £10 buys a goat
• £6 buys a mosquito net
• £30 buys a pack of seeds and tools
• £50 helps a whole family start again

  
  Contact us here to find out how you can help