This is Refugee Week. In Northern Uganda, refugee voices are at forefront of the battle against the problems Covid-19 brings to their communities.

We heard about some places where the only information comes through megaphones. After a while this can seem a list of do’s and don’ts and people in those communities say they feel tired of being told what to do.

However, in Omugo 4, where the refugee-led Soot Semee project is operating, community members told us they feel that they are teaching each other and they like it.

Soot Semee volunteer meeting with community members, Omugo zone. CDC 2020

Recording community voices is a challenge during this time. The Soot Semee team decided not to take their portable studio into the communities as it tends to attract a crowd, putting people at risk through lack of distancing. Instead, the team take portable voice recorders into the community, set them up on a stand, then invite people to come forward and tell their story. In other places, people have recorded their opinions or other contributions on their phones, sent them by Bluetooth to a friend with internet access, who then sends it by WhatsApp to the Soot Semee team.

Soot Semee volunteers heard community members talk about what they are learning. For example:

Gender-based violence (GBV) is on the rise since the Covid-19 lockdown started. Community members realised this as they were taking part in talk shows about family issues. Lots of people shared their stories. As they heard stories about gender-based violence from other households, they realised they were not alone. There were even some men who heard and said, “this is also what happens in my family”. and agreed that they would to change the way they behave at home.

In supporting the Soot Semee project, you are supporting refugees to inspire their neighbours and bring about real change for the better. #Imagine

(Browse HCR Covid-19 resources and communications advice pages)