Genevive Estacaan hails from the Philippine Islands and spent most of her childhood on a northern island called Luzon. She graduated with a degree in Communications Research from the University of the Philippines. For her internship, she joined Community Empowerment for Rural Development (CEFORD) in Arua, West Nile Region, northern Uganda. She was assigned to contribute to the communications needs of the organization, a big gap in recent years. Some of her tasks included gathering stories with impact, training the staff in storytelling, and supporting proposal writing. She also teamed up with a Ugandan Artist and a South Sudanese refugee; together, they published a children’s storybook called Asiteza (Take Heart), which aims to promote peaceful coexistence between refugees and host communities in the West Nile. This project was made possible through the GLOCAL Internship grant. 

 

Dialogue for peaceful coexistence | Genevive Estacaan 

Dialogues between refugees and host communities have been a crucial part of promoting peaceful coexistence in the West Nile. It also provides a support system for survivors of the war. Jen, 45, a South Sudanese refugee, shared: “We arrived in Uganda in March 2019. My husband did not escape the war and I came here with my six children. The community dialogues help me forget for a while the troubles I have had, and encourages me to live for my children, and to have a normal life.” The Republic of Uganda has been recognized around the world for its work in implementing a positive example of a progressive Refugee Policy. For a long time, it has kept its borders open for refugees from its neighboring countries, providing them with safety and freedom of movement, and has enabled self-reliance through access to natural resources and livelihood. The vast majority of refugees live alongside local host communities, including 62% in the West Nile. The influx of refugees has posed a serious threat to the settlements’ environmental sustainability, and the peaceful relationship between the host communities and refugees. Dialogues aim to surface issues concerning everyday life in the settlements, finding a common solution for these challenges. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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