International Refugee Trust – Our charity 2008/09
Every year in the parish, we support a large charitable project for twelve months. Our project for 2008/09 is the International Refugee Trust.
To find out how much we have raised so far, check out our latest parish newsletter online.
All too often there are headlines in the media showing people forced to leave their homes and become refugees because of natural disasters such as famine and earthquakes or man-made disasters such as war. When the media coverage has died down, many of the big agencies move their resources on to tackle the next emergency.
The focus if International Refuge Trust (IRT) is on smaller, longer-term projects that address the most urgent needs of refugees, supporting education and develop self sufficiency, in order that refugees don’t miss out on the knowledge and skills they would otherwise have learnt, had they not been forced to leave their homes. All their work is carried out overseas through local partner organisations.
Map of Uganda
Uganda
20 years of conflict between the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the Government of Uganda in the north of the country forced over 1.8 million people to flee their homes and take refuge within displacement camps. The LRA is accused of widespread human rights violations including mutilation, torture, rape and massacre. During its campaign, the LRA abducted children to be trained and used as soldiers or slaves. The conflict left thousands of children orphaned and traumatised.
Following the signing of peace accords between the government and the LRA, security and peace has greatly improved. Displaced communities who were living in camps are returning home to rebuild their lives. Thousands of abducted children have been released by the LRA. Most of these children are unable to read or write and a generation of illiterate children is now emerging. Thousands of other children have lost one or both parents and are reliant on extended families. These children survive with deep emotional scars due to their traumatic experiences of rape, witness to murder and other atrocities.
Building schools
IRT-built classrooms
Children on the first day at school
The Combioni Samaritans
We are focusing on raising money to build new schools near Gulu in north east Uganda, working in association with the lay Combioni Samaritans. The group concentrated on helping those suffering from HIV/AIDS but have extended their work into education programmes for orphans, not only those whose parents have died from disease but killed by the LRA.
IRT is funding the building of classrooms and latrines in six schools, providing text books, basic sports equipment, teacher
accommodation and training, as well as education costs of 300 orphans each year. So far eight classrooms have been completed and are in use.
There are collection boxes available in St Boniface church for your donations. The Combioni Samaritans guarantee that all money given will go to building new schools and none is spent on administration.
Did you know that £15,000 will
- fund the annual running costs for a babies’ home
- buy benches or chairs for 800 primary school children
- allow 12 orphans to undergo vocational traning?
Learn more about IRT at www.irt.org.uk