Bidibidi Refugee Settlement Explained

Bidibidi Refugee Settlement
Pushpin Map:Uganda
Coordinates:3.53°N 31.35°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Uganda
Subdivision Type1:District
Subdivision Name1:Yumbe
Established Date:2016
Unit Pref:Metric
Area Total Km2:250
Population Density Km2:auto

Bidibidi Refugee Settlement is a refugee camp in the Yumbe District of northwestern Uganda. Home to over 270,000 South Sudanese refugees fleeing the ongoing civil war in mid 2016, it was among the largest refugee settlements in the world at the time, and may have been the largest.[1] [2] As of 2018, that distinction was claimed by Kutupalong refugee camp for displaced Rohingya in Bangladesh.[3]

Geography

The Bidibidi area covers 250 square kilometers of the eastern half of Yumbe District, stretching southward from the South Sudanese border and spilling over into Moyo District along the western bank of the kochi river[4] Bidibidi is divided into zones. It has five zones namely:

The Bidibidi area was a small village before becoming a refugee settlement in August 2016.[5] [6] Since then, the Ugandan government and non-governmental organizations have worked to create a settlement rather than a camp to host and contain the influx of the growing number of asylum seekers from South Sudan.[7] It has very quickly become the second-largest refugee camp in the world. Formerly a vast, empty, arid patch of land nearby the small Ugandan border town of Yumbe, today it is home to some 270,000 refugees, most of whom have fled the violence and upheaval in South Sudan.[8]

Secondary schools

Primary schools

  1. Twajiji primary school Education zone one.
  2. Yangani Primary School zone four.[9]
  3. Barakara Primary School zone one.[10]
  4. Knowledge Land primary school zone four.[11]
  5. Kado Primary School zone four.[12]
  6. Rockland Primary School zone one.
  7. Life foundation zone four.
  8. Kejebere primary school zone two.
  9. Molondo primary school zone two.
  10. Alaba primary school zone two.
  11. Kena valley primary school zone two.
  12. Kodeje primary school zone two.
  13. yoyo central primary school zone three.
  14. Nipata valley primary school zone two.
  15. High land primary school zone three.
  16. Abriamajo primarythree.hool zone four.
  17. Hill top primary school zone three.
  18. Dradranga primary school zone three.
  19. Luzira primary school zone three.
  20. peace primary school zone three.
  21. Ambiya primary school zone three.
  22. yoyo primary school zone three.
  23. mengo primary school zone.
  24. Luzira Bright view primary school zone three.
  25. Scoro primary school zone three.
  26. Twajiji hope primary school zone one.
  27. Ofonzi primary school zone one.
  28. Alpha primary and nursery school zone one.
  29. Arizu primary school zone one.

Early child development centres

  1. Happy Joy early Childhood development zone three.
  2. New Generation early childhood development zone three.
  3. Bright ECD Centre zone one.
  4. Daddy's care ECD Centre zone one.
  5. Rock land ECD Centre zone one.
  6. Green valley ECD Centre zone one.
  7. Happy Joy ECD Centre four.
  8. Happy child friendly space zone four.
  9. Kala early childhood development zone three.

Health care

There have been growing concerns about health conditions and access to health services as the number of South Sudan refugees entering Uganda continues to increase, particularly at the BidiBidi Refugee Settlement, with Reuters reporting that about 180 refugees (nearly half of them young children) died in Bidibidi in the first six months of 2017.[13] This is compounded by the often-limited accuracy of health measurements in camp settings, with under-reporting of deaths by humanitarian organizations typically occurring more frequently than over-reporting of deaths.[14]

From a human rights and ethics perspective, there are also questions about whether people with different physical abilities or the elderly are not being prioritized in these settlements, receiving less resources compared to younger, able-bodied residents in good health.[15] In settlements located in the Ayilo District of Northern Uganda, for example, the organization Caritas reports that programs have been designed to provide more assistance for building latrines to groups identified as vulnerable, such as older residents, disabled residents, and child-headed households.[16]

Furthermore, a 2016 U.S. State Department report on trafficking warns that South Sudanese children in Northern Ugandan Refugee settlements may be vulnerable to trafficking, with the UNHCR suspecting that instances of trafficking are already occurring among young South Sudanese refugees. Unfortunately, reliably quantifying the number of trafficked children can be a challenge due to a lack of effective monitoring, corruption, insufficient protection of victims to come forward, differences in definitions of terms, and other contextual aspects.[17]

Hospitals

Bidibidi has a number of hospitals and clinics that are aiding on the health of refugees in Yumbe.

  1. Bidibidi Health Center 3 zone one.
  2. Bolomoni Health Centre 3.
  3. Igamara Health Centre 3.
  4. Swinga Health Center 3 zone two.
  5. Yayari Health Centre 3 zone two.
  6. Yangani Health Centre 3 zone four.
  7. Koro Health Health Centre 3 zone three.
  8. Iyete Health Centre 3 zone one.
  9. Yoyo Health Center 3 zone three.
  10. Luzira Health Centre 3 zone three.
  11. Twajiji Health Center 3 zone one.
  12. Ariwa Health Centre 3 zone five.
  13. Okuban Health Centre 3 zone five.
  14. Ayivu Health Centre 3 zone five.
  15. Bangatuti health centre 3.
  16. Komgbe health centre 3 zone three.

Anglican churches

In zone one[18] there are two archdeaconry and one ECSS Centre, which is.

Catholic churches

  1. The catholic faith which is on rise all the time has brought many in to the Christianity family as witnessed by the number of churches build across all the five zones
  2. Secret Heart of Jesus catholic Church (Don Bosco Church) found in block 10 zone one
  3. St. Kizito Catholic Church found in zone one
  4. St. Charles Lwanga zone one
  5. St. Joseph zone one
  6. St. Peter and Paul zone one
  7. St. All Saint zone one
  8. St Bakita Catholic Church block 12 zone one
  9. Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic church in Swinga zone two
  10. St. Mary Catholic church in Swinga zone two
  11. Divine Mercy Catholic Church in zone three

Other churches

  1. African Inland Church in zone one block 14
  2. Chrisco Church in zone one block 14
  3. Gospel of Christ Church in zone one block 11
  4. Charismatic Church in block 13 zone one
  5. St Andrew ECS Church in block 10 zone one
  6. Kalibu Kwa Yesu Church in block 4 zone one
  7. Corner Stone Baptist Church in zone one block 12
  8. Kulupi Worship Centre in Block 3 zone one
  9. Hope and Grace Church in Block 11 zone one
  10. Ebenezer Church in Block 5 zone one
  11. Seventh Day Adventist church.(SDA)

Farming

Some refugees participate in farming activities in the settlements and they either got the farming land by hiring from the host communities or land given by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. They are sometimes provided with seeds by humanitarian organizations like Seed Effect Uganda, afford, Caritas Arua, Dan Church Aids among others.[19]

cassava, beans, millet, maize, potatoes, simsim, and sweet potatoes.

Both the refugees and the host communities are provided with seeds to plant. On 19 June 2020, the Uganda Red Cross Society distributed some seeds to the locals and refugees.[20] and Norwegian Refugees council have implemented a European union trust fund it's a four-year project in Bidibidi Refugees settlement in the three zones of Bidibidi on climate change Livelihood partners in Bidibidi.

Information practitioners

Reliable Refugee Storytellers Association has engaged both the refugee youth and the host community in storytelling, citizen journalism, capacity building, advocacy, and peace-building initiatives to amplify the voices of the vulnerable community in the West Nile region and Uganda at large,

Bidibidi FM a community radio station started by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in 2023, funded by Ref FM foundation and DW academy is also another media outlet that gives entertainment, education and information to the different communities within Bidibidi and beyond.

Organizations that works in bidibidi refugee settlement.

  1. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. (UNHCR)
  2. The Office of the Prime Minister. (OPM)
  3. The International Rrescue Committee.(IRC)
  4. Word Vision.
  5. World Food Programme.(wfp)
  6. I Can South Sudan.
  7. Widow Inheritance in Uganda.
  8. Dan Church Aid. (DCA).
  9. Finn Church Aid.(FCA)
  10. Care International.
  11. Brass For Africa.
  12. Brac For Africa.
  13. Hello World (for her)
  14. Danish Refugee Council.(D.R.C)

Tribes in bidibidi refugee settlement

  1. Dinka.
  2. Acholi.
  3. Nuer.
  4. Murle.
  5. Bari.
  6. Kakwa.
  7. Keliko.
  8. Kuku.
  9. Madi
  10. Lotuko.
  11. Lango.
  12. Lopit.
  13. Lulubo.
  14. Pojulu.
  15. Lugbara.
  16. Buganda.
  17. Azande people.

Radio Station in bidibidi refugee settlement zone one.

Bidibidi fm 95.3

Notes and References

  1. News: Biryabarema. Elias. Hatred spills beyond South Sudan along with refugees. 6 April 2017. Reuters. 15 December 2016.
  2. News: Hattem. Julian. Uganda's sprawling haven for 270,000 of South Sudan's refugees. 5 April 2017. The Guardian. 24 January 2017.
  3. Web site: Altman . M.J. . Rohingya Crisis: A Firsthand Look Into The World's Largest Refugee Camp . World Food Program USA . 10 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181211012049/https://www.wfpusa.org/articles/a-firsthand-look-into-the-worlds-largest-refugee-camp/ . 11 December 2018 .
  4. Web site: Uganda - Bidibidi camp (as of Feb 2017). reliefweb. 6 April 2017.
  5. Web site: As Thousands Flee South Sudan, Ugandan Refugee Camp Becomes World's Largest. NPR. 5 April 2017.
  6. News: Three months ago, it was a tiny Ugandan village. Now it's the world's fourth-largest refugee camp.. The Washington Post. 28 October 2016.
  7. Web site: In Uganda, a unique urban experiment is underway. The world's second-largest refugee camp is slowly but surely transforming into a permanent city.. https://web.archive.org/web/20190401102211/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2019/04/how-bidibidi-uganda-refugee-camp-became-city/. 1 April 2019. National Geographic. April 2019.
  8. Encyclopedia: Thrasher . Alan R. . Bidi . 13 January 2015 . Oxford Music Online . Oxford University Press . 10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.l2275090 . Lam . June L.F.. .
  9. Web site: Eager refugees cram crowded classrooms in Ugandan school. 11 June 2021. UNHCR. en.
  10. Web site: bidibidi refugee settlement - Google Search. 11 June 2021. www.google.com.
  11. Web site: Node: Knowledge Land Primary School (5956832488) . 9 September 2022 . OpenStreetMap . en.
  12. Web site: Kado Primary School . 9 September 2022 . Yellow Uganda . en.
  13. News: South Sudanese refugees in Uganda near million mark. Mukasa. Francis. U.K.. 4 December 2017. en-GB.
  14. Spiegel. P. B.. Sheik. M.. Woodruff. B. A.. Burnham. G.. June 2001. The accuracy of mortality reporting in displaced persons camps during the post-emergency phase. Disasters. 25. 2. 172–180. 0361-3666. 11434236. 10.1111/1467-7717.00169.
  15. Web site: Ciottone's Disaster Medicine (Second Edition). Ciottone. Gregory.
  16. Web site: Uganda Refugee Response Monitoring Settlement Fact Sheet: Bidi Bidi (June 2018).
  17. Book: Bhabha, Jacqueline. j.ctt5hhrwz. Child Migration and Human Rights in a Global Age. 2014. Princeton University Press. 978-0-691-14360-6.
  18. Kisaakye . Peter . Bukuluki . Paul . Matovu . Joseph KB . 2022-03-15 . COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among refugees in Bidibidi refugee settlement, Northern Uganda . Journal of Global Health Reports . 6 . 10.29392/001c.33053 . 2399-1623. free .
  19. Web site: Uganda Red Cross Society extends support to farmers in Bidi Bidi and Palorinya Refugee Settlements - Uganda . 2022-09-10 . reliefweb.int . en.
  20. Web site: Uganda Red Cross Society extends support to farmers in Bidi Bidi and Palorinya Refugee Settlements - Uganda . 2023-04-30 . reliefweb.int . en.

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