Empowering refugees

One of the major and oldest global challenges today is migration. For centuries, humanity has been migrating. There are more than 250 million people living outside their country of origin. The scale and complexity of national and international migration make it a major force in the development and a high-priority issue for both developing and developed countries. The fact that about half of all migrants are women, most of the reproductive age, is another reason why this is an urgent issue for humanity today. Statistically speaking, the major religion (Rwanda, Burundi, DRC, Uganda) is among the top places that receive a large number of refugees and internally displaced persons. Hundreds of thousands of refugees live in camps in regional countries. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, Rwanda has received more than 127,000 refugees by the end of 2021, mainly from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi. Of these, 76% are women and children. Some of them live in urban areas, while others live in refugee camps. It is striking that because of the cycle of violence, they go from camp to camp and from place to place without a chance to settle down and make a life. When addressing migration issues, the humanitarian approach seems to be most preferred by stakeholders. In addition to a humanitarian approach, it is necessary to address migration issues within its true theological significance that gives hope and restores dignity among refugees. ACfH will train church leaders of migrants/refugees and prepare them to be a blessing in foreign lands. In addition, we will provide psychoeducation to the most vulnerable refugee victims of war and genocide to make them resilient and productive. Strengthening refugees prepares the missionaries and global citizens of tomorrow because through migration they move to new places with the aim of being a blessing and cross-border social players. In 2020, ACfH has already visited a refugee camp in Rwanda. Contacts have also been made in the Netherlands with specialized psycho trauma doctors.