Jesuit Missions UK

We live on the Western Banks of the Zambezi River in the western province of Zambia, 175 km. from the border with Angola. We live and work in the Nangweshi Refugee Camp and the “Nangweshi Extension”.

First established in January 2000 to host refugees fleeing the fighting in the south-eastern part of Angola, the camp was designed for 15,000 people and reached its full capacity in October 2001. Therefore a new site opened at the beginning of 2003 to accommodate an extra 10,000 people – all Angolan. We work in Partnership with the UNHCR and many other agencies to feed the hungry, give medicine and care to the sick, and unify the families that have been shattered over the 29 years of War that has ruined the country and its people.

Our Mission

We are the only agency dedicated to helping the physically disabled – those whose struggle to find a meaning and a future in their lives is often the greatest. Our goal is to create a community for the physically disabled where they can find a place of belonging and growing, mutual care, peace, co-operation, spiritual and material support, and formation in order to develop self-reliance and to prepare themselves for repatriation.

The Devastation of WAR

Civil war has been the norm in Angola since independence from Portugal in 1975. After a peace accord was struck in 1994 the fighting seemed to have lost its ferocity but, sadly in 1998 it started up again, rendering hundreds of thousands of people homeless. Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost in fighting over the past quarter century. The death of insurgent leader Jonas SAVIMBI in 2002 and a subsequent cease-fire may bode well for the country, but it is still far too early to say. Nevertheless, some refugees, desperate to rebuild their lives are already going back to Angola voluntarily and, for that reason UNHCR most likely will begin voluntary repatriation in 2004.

Building Futures

JRS started working in Nangweshi Refugee Camp in February 2000 as a partner for UNHCR in Education and Community Services. In May 2001, we handed responsibility for these services over to CORD (Christian Outreach, Relief and Development) which enabled us to focus our work with physically disabled in the camp. The number of physically disabled people now stands at some 620 amputees (femoral, tibia, arm, hand, foot and fingers), 107 with varying degrees of paralysis, and 38 blind among others. We also provide physiotherapy for 100 people, the majority of whom are children suffering from polio defects.

JRS responded positively to a refugee request for a permanent Centre for physiotherapy instead of offering services to the people in their homes. This has resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of children requiring treatment and our ability to offer it. It is also tangible proof for the people living in the extension that they are not being neglected – something that the people did feel before. However, it is not simply enough to offer the disabled the physical care that they so desperately need. We must also to equip them to rebuild their lives once the devastation they fled from has ceased. For this reason we also offer:

• A class on Forgiveness: to promote a perspective of peace and reconciliation.

• A sewing class offers 8 handicapped women the opportunity to learn a skill, designed to make them economically self-sufficient.

• English, Braille, and Portuguese classes are in session at our Centres, as well as English classes in the Community.

• Involvement in the life of the Catholic Community through outreach to a group of people who attend a Religion and English classes.

In 2002 the main problem experienced by the refugees was lack of food. In 2003 the main problems were related to health: malaria, malnutrition and diarrhoea. We do not know what the problems will be in 2004 but we do know that, with your help, we will be able to offer them all of the support that they need and deserve.

Note: The text and images used in this article are copyright of JRS Southern Africa, and have been reproduced by Jesuit Missions for fundraising purposes.