Disaster Response Uganda Project #48786

Trauma Counseling Support For Refugees In Uganda

by I Live Again Uganda

Project Report | Apr 13, 2023
April Update

By Communications | Communications

Scovia lost her parents when she was just a child. She was taken in by relatives but was terribly abused as a child. In looking to find new hope and safety for her life, she ran away from her relatives and found herself getting married at a young age. Unfortunately, the abuse she received from the man she married was worse than when she was with her relatives. The abuse was so bad that she would sleep outside in the bushes at night. Scovia's emotional pain was beyond what she could handle. She felt there was no more hope in her life and attempted suicide. God still had a plans for her - a great hope and a future. She was rescued and saved from dying that day. Scovia is a refugee from South Sudan. Her pain began as a child and has continued through war in South Sudan, fleeing her home and now as a refugee in Uganda. She's been attending I Live Again Uganda's Trauma Counseling Program in the refugee settlement every afternoon for the last two weeks. Her life has changed! During the counseling program she told us, "I started realizing that life was still meaningful because I received hope and healing." The other great news is that not only has Scovia's life been transformed by healing and hope but her husband's life has changed too! He started attending the counseling program with her. "My husband has changed from being a drunkard and violent man to calm and responsible husband."

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Dec 19, 2022
Changing The Story of Survivors of War

By I Live Again Uganda | Communications

CINDY'S STORY

Cindy who relocated to Uganda in 2017 is a 56 year old mother with eight children under her care. She says the rebels would come to their village and force her an other women to grind maize and sorghum by hand. They would be forced to do this to provide food for the rebels. If anyone of them refused to do the work, they would be tortured and in some instances they would be killed!

Cindy told our team,

"One day the rebels attacked our village. They were running from government troops. The rebels found us at home. Two of the rebels raped me and my husband was there. They captured my husband. They claimed that he was a government spy. They ended up killing him"

Cindy broke down in tears sharing her story with us. We gave her a safe space and time for her to release her tears. Whenever she thinks about her past and what she endured she told us that

"Life is unfair. I do not want to go back to South Sudan with the current situation in the country. What I have gone through could happen again."

Angelina is very grateful to ILA Uganda for this Empower program and said,

"I Live Again Uganda - you should have reached us much earlier so I could have started healing earlier. I used to cry a lot about what happened to me and my husband. It used to disturb me with so many negative thoughts. I miss them. But I accept the reality of life and I've learned to live with it and focus on my future. I will not live in the past anymore. I have to look to my future. Since coming to this program, I have no regrets, I sleep well at night and I feel so much more hopeful."

We are so grateful for your giving. Cindy's story of war is changing because of YOU.

Uganda is hosting over 1.5 million refugees. The need for mental health services is overwhelming. But with your compassion and generosity, we can change the stories of so many others!

Will you consider giving a year end gift so that more stories of survivors of war can change?

You can donate through GLOBALGIVING today!

https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/refugeehope/

Thank you once again for believing in those we serve.

We know that good things are coming!

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Aug 18, 2022
Saving Lives Through Your Giving

By I Live Again Uganda | Communications

Thank you for your continued support to the work of I Live Again Uganda!

Here is Esther's Story...

Esther came to Uganda in 2017 due to the conflict in South Sudan. She remember the exact night that the rebels came and attacked her village. It was that terrifying night that 5 of her brothers will killed. She was beaten, raped and left to die.

"I was in terrible pain, but I had to leave. I walked on foot in pain. My legs were so swollen. I brought with me 5 of my nephews who's father's had been killed. We walked until we reach the Ugandan border. There, a UNHCR truck picked us up and brought us to the refugee settlement. I had one surviving brother, but he recently died. Now, I am struggling to take care of 5 children without any help. I have thought of committing suicide but people have resuced me. I couldn't sleep as my mind has been so full of worries and pain."

Esther's Life Began to Change At I Live Again Uganda's Trauma Counseling Program

"The counseling program has come at just the right time. I was lost in many thoughts on how to proceed with life and how to care for the orphans. To be honest, my life has been a wreck for the past three months, but the counseling program has helped me so much. I am able to sleep again. I am eating again and I'm focused on the future. I'm looking at the future of the children that my late brothes have left behind."

One of the topics that Esther found most helpful was one that we call, "The Snake Bite." The Snake Bite teaching helps individuals recognize that when we are bitten by snakes (enemies or people that harm us) that we should not be focused on how we can revenge or hold on to the pain they caused us - but, we need to focus on how to get the snake bite poison out of ourselves. The snake poison is the trauma that is affecting us, the bitterness, revenge, anger, pain etc that is not allowing us to leave freely. Getting rid of that poison is the key to our healing from the snake bite.

“Snake Bite and Snake Bite Recovery sessions were so helpful to me and have helped me recover from the bad past experiences."

Esther's Life Has Changed...

Esther was struggling with suicide before I Live Again Uganda came to with its counseling program. We are thankful to hear her recognize that their is hope and a future for her.

"Suicide doesn't solve problems. I Live Again Uganda has taught me that. I desire to live and face challenges with a positive attitude."

Thank you!

We cannot do what we do with out financial partners like you. Esther may not have made it today if it wasn't for your generous and compassionate giving to the important work that I Live Again Uganda is doing.

We give thanks for you - very, very much.

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