CARE GBV Preventer Giving Hope to Fellow Refugees

-

September 31, 2018

Dudu Grace Edward, 45, is a South Sudanese refugee currently living in Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement in Northwestern Uganda. Grace is a single mother from Yei, South Sudan who arrived in Uganda in September, 2016.

Grace is one of the 80 Gender Based Violence (GBV) Preventers across Imvepi, Bidibidi and Rhino Camp Refugee Settlements funded by European Union Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) under CARE Oxfam consortium. GBV Preventers work within their communities providing awareness and prevention of GBV.  Grace was selected by her community and Refugee Welfare Council (RWC) Chairperson, to be the GBV Preventer in her village. She then filled out an application and went through an interview process. In July 2017 Grace, along with 79 fellow Preventer-trainees attended a 2-week training consisting of GBV concepts, basic counseling, SASA (Swahili word for “now”) methods on community mobilization, principles of working with GBV survivors, and basic case management skills including referral pathways. She also received visibility materials including t-shirts, a CARE branded backpack, umbrella, bicycle for easy movement and she receives a small monthly stipend.

Dudu Grace Edward
Being a CARE GBV Preventer, Grace has been able to help numerous individuals and influenced others. “I offer emotional support to mainly women through counseling and giving advice. Sometimes I work with CARE to provide them material support. Where the case is difficult, I refer to other service providers for appropriate response. I also provide follow-ups and help people change in their behaviour.”

Grace feels from the CARE training she is now able to identify an individual suffering from GBV. Annet* is a strong example of Grace’s ability to help such individuals. Annet had a very traumatic time while trying to flee her home in South Sudan. She came with her own two children and two orphaned children of her sister. Annet was stopped by armed men several times and raped in the bush on the way to Uganda. Annet had a challenging time settling into her new environment in the settlement. While neighbors did the best they could to help her, she was still traumatized from her journey. On top of that, her daughter was also very sick. At times Annet felt her only escape was suicide or to return to a civil war in South Sudan.

Annet says healing began when she met Grace, “Grace asked me how I was doing, and I started crying. I told her there was no future for my children here, and we are always hungry. My daughter had been sick. I told Grace I might go back. Grace told me I should first consider that now my family has a much more secure home with no threats from gunmen. There are no functioning schools in Yei [Annet’s home in South Sudan], and we will be provided with food. Grace was very supportive and encouraged me to bear for the sake of my children. With Grace’s encouragement, I attended a workshop on trauma healing. It took me about a month to take in and react to what Grace had told me. Soon I adapted to my new community and got more comfortable.”

Grace also helped Annet understand the stress and anger she had was because of the trauma she went through on her journey to refuge. “All my children are now attending school, and we are fine. I am happy I met Grace and she is now one of my best friends.” 

Because of Grace, Annet is now a CARE GBV Preventer, telling others her story and encouraging them to disclose their SGBV problems to receive support. Annet is just one of the women Grace has been able to help due to the training she received from CARE.

Grace said she is proud of her role as a GBV Preventer. “There are reduced cases of GBV in this community. The community knows me as a CARE volunteer and they now come for advice and counseling at the information desk and even at my home. Whenever I am called upon, I respond. I make sure I support the survivor. I don’t leave the case hanging. I see the level of crimes have reduced.” 

Her community is not the only one which has noticed Grace’s ability, she has recently been appointed by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) to continue serving her community as a Women Representative.

*Name has been changed.

Story Compiled By: Kenneth Massa                         
Psychosocial Support Coordinator
CARE Arua Field Office, West Nile, Uganda
              
Edited By: Brandi Murley
CARE West Nile, Uganda



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Beacon of Hope: The Journey of Al Amar Community Primary School

-
Image
  In 2021, the Al Amarz IDP camp was a place of struggle and uncertainty for displaced families, compounded by the absence of educational opportunities for children. Families struggled to survive, and their children wandered about the camp, denied the opportunity for an education. For Headteacher Abdirizak Hassan Abdi, who himself had endured the pain of displacement, the sight of children idling in the camp instead of in classrooms was unbearable. "There was no school. No place for children to learn or even dream for a better future," he narrated.   Headteacher Abdirizak Hassan Abdi-Al-amar Community School Determined to change this reality, Abdirizak joined forces with two like-minded individuals. They pooled their modest resources, borrowed where they could, and in just ten days, constructed two makeshift classrooms. The effort was a labor of love, fueled by the belief in education’s transformative power.   The classrooms were simple—8x5 meter...
Read more

CARE International’s Role in Shaping the Kampala Declaration 2025 and Advancing Africa’s Agricultural Transformation

-
Image
Uganda Head of State and president Yoweri Museveni signed the Kampala Declaration on 11th January 2025. CARE The Kampala Declaration 2025, a key outcome of the African Union Extraordinary Summit on the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) 2026-2035, marked a turning point in Africa’s agricultural transformation. Held at the Speke Resort Hotel Munyonyo, the summit brought together over 2,000 delegates, including policymakers, farmers, private sector representatives, and civil society organizations, all united in shaping the future of Africa’s food systems under the theme “Building Resilient Agri-Food Systems in Africa.” At the heart of discussions was the African Union’s Agenda 2063, a vision for transforming Africa into a global powerhouse by promoting inclusive growth, sustainable development, and economic transformation. The CAADP 2026-2035 Strategy and Action Plan outlined key objectives, including increasing sustainable food production, fostering agro-indu...
Read more

Stirring Hope: Fadumo's Cooking Brings Nourishment and Opportunity to Somaliland's School Children

-
Image
  Fadumo as she prepares food for students. The scent of simmering spices hangs heavy in the air as Fadumo Ali Abdulle, a mother of nine (3 girls and 6 boys), stirs a pot of bubbling porridge with a mixture of vegetables. Her hands, shaped by years of experience, move with the grace of a seasoned chef. She is a pillar of Daraselam Primary School, located just a few kilometers outside of Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland. Her work, along with that of her colleagues, is not just about cooking, but about making a difference in the lives of school-going children. The school has an enrollment of 154 students (80 boys and 64 girls).   Fadumo has been working as a cook for nearly 14 years. "My daily routine is quite hectic, I wake up before dawn at 4:00 am, and walk an hour and a half to school because I don’t want to be late, she explains. Despite volunteering, Fadumo's key message is that her love for her work fuels her perseverance in the face of her family...
Read more