The People for People Organization has launched an initiative to assist Sudanese refugees in the Kiryandongo Refugee Camp in Uganda through its Hope Community Multipurpose Center.
The organization, which is active in voluntary and humanitarian work in Darfur, Sudan, established the multipurpose social center within the refugee camp in Uganda to train and empower Sudanese refugees with skills and tools for production.
This step is part of the organization’s programs to support Sudanese refugees and alleviate their suffering through economic empowerment programs. The center provides training services in various fields in addition to psychological support programs for Sudanese refugees in exile.
Muna Omar, a resident of the camp, said the organization has provided Sudanese refugees with an opportunity to meet, exchange experiences, and think more effectively about how to enhance livelihoods within the camp and address the issue of unemployment among the youth.
“The Hope Center has given refugees from Sudan and South Sudan a chance to engage in activities and discuss common interests, including income-generating programs and projects,” she said.
A young refugee, Khalid Fadl, explained that the People for People Organization has offered training packages through the center’s workshops and courses in soap and petroleum jelly making, which have helped qualify the youth and encouraged them to consider starting their production projects to meet their needs.
“I hope that these initiatives would continue from other organizations working in this field to strengthen the camp community and provide the youth with tools and means of production to enhance their economic situation,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Dr. Adeeb Yusuf, the Director of People for People Organization, said they rolled out the program after assessing the needs of the refugees in the areas of food, health, and shelter among others.
“The need for economic empowerment was one of the most pressing aspects that prompted the organization to launch the Hope Community Multipurpose Center to implement economic empowerment projects chosen by the beneficiaries,” he explained.
Dr. Yusuf pointed out that the organization aims, through the center, to achieve several goals, including enhancing self-sufficiency, increasing local production, improving the environment, and focusing on health.
“The center also aims to encourage production and innovation among the youth and foster a sense of community and participation,” he said. “The training programs have received great attention and participation from camp residents, placing additional responsibilities on the organization to serve the camp community in the upcoming phase.”