We had already been exchanging emails with Blessed to Bless Life Ministries (BBLM) for several months before we responded to their request for support. Impressed by the resilience, creativity and motivation of this grassroots organisation, we ultimately decided to support the BBLM team in their continued local growth. BBLM provides a safe space for children and young people once a week, where talents are nurtured, single mothers are supported, and young people are guided into the workforce through IT and sewing courses. Thanks to donations collected from the local community, the organisation is able to provide participants with a small meal, typically porridge, at these weekly gatherings.
The 35 workshop participants were primarily volunteers from BBLM in Kyaka II, where approximately 136,000 refugees live. Since the informal networks of dedicated individuals extend beyond the camp’s borders, supporters from the more distant refugee camps of Nakivale (with approximately 200,000 refugees) in the southwest and Bidibidi (approximately 270,000 refugees) in the north of the country also participated.
For the training, we adopted an integrative approach: we supplemented the practical emergency pedagogical work with the children in the morning with in-depth theoretical and reflective sessions in the afternoon. During our evening reflection sessions, as a team of emergency pedagogues, we were repeatedly and deeply impressed by our experiences throughout the day: by the talents of the children and adolescents, who gave small presentations almost daily in the form of poems, dances, acrobatics, or string games, as well as by the participants’ commitment and willingness to learn.
After four days of training, we switched roles and our colleagues from BBLM took over the pedagogical work with the children and youth, putting what they had learnt into practice. They approached this task with great enthusiasm and joy. Afterwards, we gathered in small groups to share our reflections on that time.
The response to the content on emergency pedagogy was clearly evident: participants asked numerous questions, took extensive notes, and in the practical workshops demonstrated that they had immediately internalized key concepts such as traumatology, psychoeducation, and other principles of emergency pedagogy: "Across these nine days, we discovered that behind every behavior is a story, behind every silence is a struggle, and behind every child is a human being longing to feel safe, seen, and understood. We learned that healing does not begin with correction, but with connection; not with control, but with compassion,” said Jure Castro Iraguha.
Many organisations, including the United Nations (UN), have scaled back or suspended their operations on the ground in Kyaka II due to massive cuts in international aid and development budgets. This makes the work of BBLM, which aims “to empower children, youth, and communities through education, mentorship, and practical support, ensuring that every individual we serve experiences love, dignity, and opportunity”, even more significant, according to founder Jure Castro Iraguha. Nsengi Aboubakari Djuma of BBLM's Kyaka Best Dance Community adds: “Because of this, we want to implement many new projects to continue supporting vulnerable children and youth through art, dance, and community development. We believe the journey is still continuing, and we are ready to move forward with hope, commitment, and determination.”
Fabian Krämer
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