Patongo IDP camp; a few reflections

Kampala to Patongo Quentin from the UK, and I flying up to the north together on this tiny plane ! We'll be working closely together, as our programs with Medair are funded together with USAID/OFDA.

Patongo,

morning walks lit by the rising sun over the mountains

women gather by the water points with a line of yellow jerry cans

smiles, waves, greetings,

a family greeting on my morning walk

men on bicycles, dusty trails follow them

children wandering about, torn clothes, smiles, yelling 'mono, mono!' *white person!*

life here is simple, we are only visitors here, to the people living here, this has been their 'home' for 20 years now

some have moved half-way home , to satellite camps, in hopes of a peace deal being signed,

but 30,000 remain here, in Patongo, waiting for an actual deal to hopefully signify a situation that would allow them and their families to return to what was home.

some of their faces reveal hope, others trauma,

2 young kids at a local IDP camp, giggling as they ran around the corner of the building and back several times; seeing their smiles is encouraging !

children who are orphans, and raising their brothers and sisters have perhaps the hardest day to day survival

school is important, tattered uniforms, all barefoot, in the mornings as I ask where they are going, they are proud to say 'I'm fine and today I'm going to school'.

I feel this is the place I'm supposed to be; happy and content ! Alot of work in front of me, learning from the team that's been here will be most exciting. Yesterday, visiting another camp with my hygiene team, made up of 5 Ugandans; I saw their talents shine with these communities; interactions, mobilisation, planning, questions, faciliatation, supplies. As there are 4 of us ex/pats here living with our team of 18 or so Ugandans in 1 compound; it's very lively in the evenings.

Alfred and George, 2 of our team, finishing up facilitating a community meeting in a IDP camp outside of Patongo

I slept under the stars last night, with a mosquito net over me, it was lovely, peaceful and a good space to reflect.