This project began on July 20, 2013, with a meeting of three people, Anglican Rector Rebecca Newland, South Sudanese former refugee Atem Miot, and local O'Connor resident John Symond.
The project has, of necessity, changed considerably since that meeting. It's original purpose was to help a village of amputees in South Sudan, victims of the 20 year civil war which ended with the Declaration of South Sudanese Independence in 2011. Funds had been raised in Sydney and Canberra, and material goods had been donated. Atem had made one visit to the amputees and some of the money was expended.
On a second trip, Atem was caught up in the outbreak of a second civil war in December, 2013, before he had even made contact with friends and family. He walked out of South Sudan, accompanied by 58 people, for six or seven weeks until they reached the refugee camps in northwestern Uganda, where they still remain.
Now the focus of our project is on the Nyumanzi refugee camp in Northern Uganda, where Atem Miot has lived since early 2014.
The project has, of necessity, changed considerably since that meeting. It's original purpose was to help a village of amputees in South Sudan, victims of the 20 year civil war which ended with the Declaration of South Sudanese Independence in 2011. Funds had been raised in Sydney and Canberra, and material goods had been donated. Atem had made one visit to the amputees and some of the money was expended.
On a second trip, Atem was caught up in the outbreak of a second civil war in December, 2013, before he had even made contact with friends and family. He walked out of South Sudan, accompanied by 58 people, for six or seven weeks until they reached the refugee camps in northwestern Uganda, where they still remain.
Now the focus of our project is on the Nyumanzi refugee camp in Northern Uganda, where Atem Miot has lived since early 2014.
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