A STRONG NEED FOR PYSCHO-SOCIAL SUPPORT; DERADICALISATION OF THE MINDS

From the time the war intensified, a lot of humanitarian organizations supported the civilians both during and after the conflict. Special attention was placed on shelter, food, physical health, education support and reintegration of thousands of formerly abducted children. Attention concerning mental health, behavior management and attitude management for these children, adolescents and their families was however limited. Today, this oversight has left the communities in the region with a big task to mitigate the psychological/post traumatic effects of war in the life of children; now youths and adults who were directly and indirectly affected by the war. Many continue to struggle with psycho-social consequences as a result of their confrontation with war and experience difficulties in their social life; decision making, coping with community challenges and fitting within the society systems, laws and organization.  living a life of no hope, many are involved in harmful/self destructive behaviors, drug taking and a excessive alcohol consumption  and violet crimes. This situation can however be saved. Multiple approaches need to be employed by the communities to deal squarely with this problem. Effective solutions can come from these communities backed by the government and other interventions by voluntary agencies!

SHIFT OF FOCUS; FROM MATERIAL AID TO ATTITUDE CHANGE!

Amidst all these, many have picked pieces and seen a chance for new and better life after efforts by government and humanitarian agencies. There are programmes like peace and recovery programme, education support programmes and various community support projects being channelled to the grassroots.  However, these interventions face problems of sustainability, lack of ownership and inadequacy. Most of the efforts are still similar to experience in the war time; they maintain the attitude of dependency.

There is need therefore to stimulate and strengthen community initiated interventions, programmes aimed at changing attitude and solutions to problems which are locally devised. Community involvement and active participation should be emphasized and encouraged. Approaches that encourage and empower the community to start and own interventions/takes care of contextual needs and issues in the community should be promoted, advocated for and adopted.

RESTORING THE SOCIAL VALUES!

Whereas there is hope for recovery, it is eminent that the ordinary citizen, government, social support system and all partners are heading for daunting task. The social values that were used to shape the behaviours and way of life of the people and strengthen community organisation were strongly washed away by the war and its effects; displacement not just from homes, but from a social system of livelihood, nurturing and administration of justice and society order. Confining people in highly crowded displaced people’s camps exposed people to extreme social disorder, criminal and uncontrolled behaviours, diseases and poor culture of dependence on humanitarian aid as opposed to the original society ways of working hard to provide for their families. People had limited access to support system like justice, law and order, education and proper governance which are tools for regulating society morals and social life. Destruction of physical environment as a result of congestion and overcrowding which comes with demands for space, shelter, fuel-fire wood, building materials etc, was also among the problems.

TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE OUR COMMUNITY A BETTER PLACE

Through strategic partnerships with sponsors: the government, other non-profit organizations and private agencies locally and internationally, we provide on-going events and opportunities to advance the interests and needs of the community/people at all levels committing our self/strongly with focus to the economic empowerment of the fellow citizens, social justice or equity, good governance, human rights and wellbeing, good health and education for all citizens, and peace and unity within, between and beyond its community.

LIFE AGAIN - Background

After 2006 the time that marked the beginning of the return of peace ; the year of the silence of the gun, as popularly know in northern Uganda, the communities and people of the region are gradually setting towards restoration and recovery of the earlier experience, values and social and economical way of life of the community. Economic depression, broken social system and abject poverty characterised the period. Now people are redefining the society with the hope of a new beginning for a better future. According to Centre for Children in Vulnerable Situation (CCVS), a regional support center in northern Uganda, which focuses on development and elaboration of psychosocial and psychotherapeutic support for war-affected young people and their families in Lira district, Northern Uganda has been affected by an armed conflict between 1986 and 2006, which resulted in the death of more than 100.000 persons. Two million people - almost all of the population in northern and eastern Uganda - were forced to flee their homes and settle in a crowded confinement; Internally Displaced Peoples’ camp. In November 2013, Jan Egeland, the UN under-secretary for humanitarian issues, described the situation in northern Uganda as "one of the worst and least known humanitarian disasters in the world". More than 66.000 children were abducted by the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) and forced to participate in war cruelties.

From the time the war intensified, a lot of humanitarian organizations supported the civilians both during and after the end of the conflict. Special attention was placed on the shelter, food, physical health, education support and reintegration of thousands of formerly abducted children. Attention concerning mental health, behavior management and attitude management for these children, adolescents and their families was however limited. Today, this oversight has left the communities in the region with a big task to mitigate the effects of war in the life of formerly children now youths and adults who were directly and indirectly affected by the war. Many continue to struggle with psychosocial consequences as a result of their confrontation with war and experience difficulties in their social life; decision making, coping with community challenges and fitting within the society systems, laws and organization.