Two weeks ago we received an urgent request for help from a dear friend in Uganda. Please check out my last post for full details. Here is the latest update explaining how we were able to support those affected by the imminent threat of famine. If you or your organisation could possibly consider raising funds or making a donation to further help those who are suffering following the drastic reduction in foreign aid, you will find details of how to do so at the end of this post. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this plea for help.
On April 25th 2025, we were able to distribute the food and non-food items that were purchased for a group of Extremely Vulnerable Individuals (EVIs) mainly made up of elderly and physically handicapped refugee men and women in Kyangwali Refugee Settlement Camp. This food distribution was made possible by RRYM who raised the funds and transferred the money to our Community Based Organization bank account for the sole purpose of buying the items. Only 30 lucky people received the items even though over 80 more were present and kept hoping and praying they were on the list of beneficiaries. We were able to comfort them by telling them that if we get more support, we shall definitely be happy to include them among future beneficiaries as they are all extremely vulnerable individuals. We are eternally grateful to the four trustees of the charity, not to mention everyone who donated in order to feed the 30 men and women and their family dependants. Each EVI received 10 kgs of maize flour, 10 kgs of beans, 2kgs of sugar, 4 sachets of salt, 1 litre of vegetable cooking oil, 2 bars of soap and a packet of match boxes. These items may seem or sound small, but they are going to make a very big difference in the lives of the 30 people and their families. We also thank you for your selfless continued support to members of our community here in Kyangwali refugee settlement camp, and for always trusting our Community Based Organization, Awakening Initiative For Refugees, by funneling the support through us. May you all be blessed.
For anyone wishing to donate to this project, please visit https://pay.rrym.uk where you will find several payment options, including PayPal and BACS bank transfer to our Charity Account. Should you wish to transfer directly into the account of the Awakening Initiative Project, their bank details are as follows: * Account Name: Awakening Initiative For Refugees * Account Number: 05876750009 * Swift Code: AFRIUGKA * Address: Plot 45 Jinja Road, P.O. Box 2750, Kampala.
This is an urgent plea for help sent to RRYM by our good friend Gideon who himself is trying his best to survive as a refugee in this camp, so has first hand experience regarding the worsening conditions.
In a bid to alleviate what is fast becoming a desperate situation, RRYM sent £540 to the community project Awakening Initiative yesterday, enough money to purchase basic food and hygiene items to sustain thirty extremely vulnerable families for approximately two weeks. There will be pictures of the distribution in the next post.
Meanwhile if you, or better still your charity/organisation would be willing to make a donation towards the next food distribution, or maybe organise a fundraising event, it would mean the world to those who have already been through so much. Here is Gideon’s message.
From time immemorial to 2024, humanitarian assistance to refugees in Kyangwali Refugee Settlement Camp was more of a duty and an obligation of the international community fulfilled through the United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees (UNHCR) and World Food Programme (WFP). Back then, food, shelter, health and education were provided to refugees free of charge. But with unending wars in the Congo and South Sudan, the camp’s population has continued to grow, and by the end of 2024, there was a huge influx of refugees. Before all this happened, a single refugee was assured of a monthly food ration, and later cash assistance. It was not enough, but, at least, it kept refugee families alive and out of danger of starvation and famine. The refugee influx became a strain on all social services rendered to all refugees living in the camp, to the extent that some refugees, especially those that had lived in the camp for more that 10 years, were either completely removed from the food and cash assistance, or had their monthly assistance cut to a very small percentage. This meant that all the affected individuals/families were expected to fend for themselves. Among these unfortunate people are members of the most vulnerable group called the Extremely Vulnerable Individuals (EVIs). These people include the elderly, persons with disabilities, widows/widowers, orphans, pregnant women and children. It somehow felt as if the world was closing in on them, so much so that they had to resort to begging and/or working on farms outside the camp in order to survive.
s if that wasn’t enough, the United States Of America elected a new president, Donald Trump, in November last year. As soon as he assumed office in January this year, he ordered that the life-saving USAID be closed. This was a severe blow to not only the refugees whose food/cash rations had been reduced or completely cut, but also to the newly arrived ones who had cause the refugee influx. Food/cash assistance has been taken away from nearly 80% of the refugees living in Kyangwali Refugee Settlement Camp. Among the new group of refugees, usually referred to as “new arrivals” are many extremely vulnerable individuals who depended on the USAID assistance for 100% of their survival. With the suspension or near closure of the USAID program, organizations that have been operating in the camp have closed shop; their are no more drugs in health centres and above all, food has become the hardest commodity to obtain. People are starving to death, and the camp is on the verge of a famine.
For anyone wishing to donate to this project, please visit DONATE where you will find several payment options, including PayPal and BACS bank transfer to our Charity Account. Thank you so much for your support. Please know that by making a financial donation you will be providing vital items to those in desperate need at a time when larger organisations are being forced to suspend their services.
I recently received this desperate cry for help from a dear friend who I have known for over eight years. It is my fervent hope that together we can somehow hit upon a long term solution that will enable him to support himself and his four daughters. Meanwhile I’m requesting your help to provide them with the bare essentials for the time being, namely food and accommodation. Here is their story.
I fled my country of origin in 2008 and was granted refugee status in Uganda the following year. I was then transferred to Kyangwali Refugee Camp where I have lived to this very day. All my 4 children were born here , with my first child being 16 and my youngest just 5. Back in 2009 when I first came to this camp, all refugees were receiving 100% of the food ration as the refugee population in the camp was only about 25.000. 10 years later (in 2019) my family and I were removed from both food and cash assistance because the population had grown to over 150.000 refugees, and priority was given to the new arrivals. Luckily, we were considered for resettlement the same year and were hoping to emigrate to another country, but all our hopes were shattered when Trump’s refugee resettlement ban of 2017 and subsequent slashing of the refugee admissions cap caused UNHCR to close thousands of resettlement cases. My family was among the thousands who were informed that we couldn’t go to any resettlement country.
In 2020, my half brother was murdered in cold blood, and in 2021 my brother was poisoned. Both had families, and as their only surviving relative here in the camp, I was expected to step up and look after families of my late brothers. I did whatever I could with the help of a very dear friend who prefers to remain anonymous. All this while, I was suffering from different illnesses, and was also a target of many people here who hated the fact that I am a social activist. These people included police officers and government workers, as well as their refugee friends.
In 2022, my family was once again presented with an opportunity to be resettled in Norway. This took so long that I eventually requested that they change the country for us. They sent our case to USA as a result. We went through all the necessary processes and were scheduled to travel early last year, but because my blood pressure was high, we were returned back to the camp. I could not be allowed to fly with high blood pressure. Again in November last year we were scheduled to travel to the United States, but my blood pressure stubbornly refused to go down despite medication. We stayed at the hotel for over a month in the hope that it would go down, but it never did. All this while we were having difficulty getting food and yet the doctors had recommended that I stick to a healthy diet which is rather expensive to maintain.
On January 21st this year after US president Donald Trump signed an Executive Order suspending the entire refugee resettlement program for 90 days, we were asked to leave the hotel and return to the refugee camp. My wife did not take the news well, so she left me and the children and went to stay with her friends who live in the city. We found shelter at a friend’s home who allowed us to stay for about a month. He helped us with transport back to the camp where we returned about a week ago. Because we were required to surrender our home to the government before we left the camp in November, we have been rendered homeless as our previous house was given to a new refugee family. Also, we are expected to fend for ourselves in as far as all the other basic needs are concerned.
Simply put, it’s a fresh start and we are on our own. This means we don’t have a home, any source of income and food to eat. This has not been easy for me as my daughters continue to fall sick due to starvation and malnutrition. They are also out of school.
If you are able to donate even the smallest amount to help us I and my daughters really would be beyond grateful.
For anyone wishing to donate to this project, please visit pay.rrym.uk, where you will find several payment options, including PayPal and Card services, or BACS bank transfer to our Charity Account.
As you know, in December we held a sponsored swim in Llandudno Swimming Pool as last year’s Christmas Charity event.
Although only three of us took up the challenge, we were encouraged to keep going by the enthusiasm of our sponsors.
Despite being so busy in the run up to Christmas, over eighty people were generous enough to sponsor us, which will make a huge difference to the displaced families this charity supports. Between them, they raised a grand total of £2,356, all of which will go to help people in need.
To read all about the charity’s work, please browse our website or follow us on Facebook refugeereliefynysmon.
We’d like to say a big thank you for your support, and to wish you all the best for the coming year.
Hi Everyone, we are launching an emergency fundraiser to enable a lovely Syrian couple now living in Turkey to purchase essential items in time for the birth of their baby son. Can you help by donating a little? Their little boy is due at the beginning of March so time is of the essence. I won’t go into detail regarding the difficulties and challenges faced by this couple over the past few months, suffice to say that the fact that they are still alive is a miracle in itself. We are aiming to raise the sum of £200. If you would please consider donating we would be most grateful. For anyone wishing to donate to this project, please visit pay.rrym.uk where you will find several payment options, including PayPal and Card services or BACS bank transfer to our Charity Account. Thank you so much for your support.
Here is the latest report written by our friend Nour in Lebanon, together with a lovely UPBEAT VIDEO which I’m sure you will enjoy. For anyone wishing to donate to this project, please visit PAY.RRYM.UK where you will find several payment options, including PayPal and Card services
or BACS bank transfer to our Charity Account. Thank you for any support you feel able to offer. It is greatly appreciated by so many.
Report on the Special Needs Class at Dar Al Amal
December: A Month of Joy and Challenges December was unlike any other month—it brought joy, hope, and celebration to all of us, and I’m sure to you as well. The fall of the regime in Syria filled the air with festivities in Arsal, as people rejoiced at this long-awaited change. However, alongside the joy came significant challenges. Many families went back to Syria to check their homes, only to find rubble and devastation. This brought feelings of uncertainty and grief, especially for the children who witnessed their families’ struggles.
At Dar Al Amal, we stood resilient. We continued to operate and provide care, support, and education, especially for the children in our special needs class, who need extra attention and stability in these uncertain times. Despite the challenges, we celebrated together and are determined to keep going for the sake of the children who will remain with us until summer.
In this challenging period, we focused on maintaining a stable and nurturing environment for the special needs class and all children of Dar Al amal school.
During the last month ,we adapted many Activities like sensory play, art, and music were incorporated to make learning more engaging and accessible.
Emotional Support: With families facing uncertainty, our team worked closely with the children to help them process their emotions and find comfort in routine and structure.
Celebrations and Joyful Moments: Despite the difficulties, we celebrated together, organizing small events and activities that brought smiles to the children’s faces. These moments of happiness helped the children feel secure and part of a larger community.
Preparation for the Future: We are committed to continuing this support until summer, focusing on building skills, confidence, and independence for each child. The challenges are immense, but so is our determination. The special needs class at Dar Al Amal is a testament to resilience and hope. We need your support to continue providing these children with the care, education, and love they need to thrive.
Please take a moment to visit Facebook REFUGEERELIEFYNYSMON where you can find a video showing the devastation one of my friends encountered when visiting their home in Syria. It’s a stark reminder of why we must keep going for these children.
Together, we can ensure a brighter future for the most vulnerable among us. Thank you for standing with us.
