Disaster And Refugee Minister Commends COU For Giving Refugees Hope
In a bid to commemorate World Refugee Day, the Church of Uganda in Partnership with the All Africa Conference of Churches visited Imvempi Refugee Settlement Camp where they held celebrations from.
The visitors also donated a number of food items to individuals that included milk, beans and posho.
Today morning, the same team was hosted by Hon Davina Esther Anyakun, the state Minister for Relief Refugees and Disaster Preparedness who appreciated the church's efforts in giving hope to the refugees.
A team of clergy from The Church of Uganda and the All Africa Conference of Churches have for much of this week been in northern Uganda where they camped ahead of the international world refugee day.
Led by the provincial secretary, Rev. Canon Captain William Ongeng they visited schools, refugee hosting communities and refugee camps including Imvempi Refugee Settlement Camp. The camp is located in the Diocese of Madi,
These have donated items which include a tin of milk, 5 kgs of beans and 5 kgs of posho to every individual in 3 zones of Imvempi Refugee Settlement Camp.
The move has attracted the attention of the state minister for disaster and refugees, Davina Esther Anyakun who paid them a courtesy call.
The minister had only glowing tributes for the good gesture done by the church of Uganda and the All Africa Conference of Churches towards the refugees and refugee hosting communities.
The Minister during the meeting also noted that the government on the other hand is working on a program to have the refugees go back to their home countries. The program is said to have seen over 2200 refugees willingly return to their motherland, Burundi.
Bishop Emily Awino Onyango from the Church of Kenya and Bishop Manasseh Gahima from the church of Rwanda also graced the function.
These have advocated for women's empowerment as well as community feeding to end dependence.
In her submission, The Rt Reverend noticed while in Arua at the refugee camp, women and children are less empowered because it's the men who speak for them.
Luke Alinaitwe
