Refugees reach record levels in Rhino Camp

According to figures available as of the 1 October 2016 the number of refugees and asylum-seekers from South Sudan in Rhino Camp totalled 55,112, we believe this to be much higher.

The issues in Camp include a shortage of food, access to drinking water and hard to believe a lack of clothing for children. Here in the UK, we have recently had an insight into the awful conditions they will be experiencing from the horrific stories and pictures of 2016 from Calais. However, this is a situation that the people of South Sudan have lived for many many years and there seems no end to their plight.

Of the thousands of desperate people fleeing violence in South Sudan crossing into Uganda every day some 86% are women and children.

Our own Fred Taban upon returning home recently saw first hand the desperate need of the people at Rhino Camp living there with his own family. A place his wife and children lived while he was in the UK because he believed it to be safer and better than their own home. Safer from the evils of the country but not of the camp itself.

“Christmas here means going to church, eating good food (meat, chicken with rice!), and to crown it all a new dress for all to see and receive all the nice compliments. All these make sense where poor quality and quantity of food is the norm and to get a new dress once in a year is a great achievement in a world where to get a dress is a blessing and luxury than a necessity.

I and the family are having our Christmas lunch with some of the desperate refugees children in the refugees camp. We’re going to pray, eat and spend time together with them. But one thing is lacking, we are not able to get them some simple used dress to wear as part of the celebrations. To give each child a dress to wear would give them a smile on their hardship worn faces. In Arua £200 can buy a bale of used clothes to dress up about 80 to 100 children. These children are naked, hungry, lack love and traumatised. Why can’t we this Christmas let them experience God’s love, peace and care in the midst of the circumstances they are innocently subjected to? I can only find peace and happiness this Christmas if we can reach out to this hurting and most vulnerable children.”

Fred Taban

CRESS can’t solve all the problems or bring peace to the country as much as it might wish and pray for this however, there is something that WE can do. Fred has sent a plea for funds to purchase clothing bales so that the children might be dressed for Christmas celebrations. While all the people in Rhino Camp are suffering, the children are frightened and have little hope for the future. The sum of just £200 would enable Fred to dress 80 to 100 children and while not solving the main problem will bring smiles to the faces of the innocent during this festive period.

Data is sketchy, to say the least, and our research discovered conflicting numbers but Fred tells us that the camp is five times over capacity which brings further issues, concerns and fears for the people living there.

Please help CRESS to bring a little cheer to the residents of Rhino Camp this Christmas. No donation is too small and can be made via our Virgin Giving page, please use Rhino Camp in the description so your donation can be allocated. Or feel free to contact Caroline Lamb for other ways in which you can donate by emailing caroline.lamb@cressuk.org – thank you!