UNHCR – the UN Refugee Agency has launched a major funds campaign drive for refugee support in Africa, in the wake of diminishing donor funds. The campaign which is known as LuQuLuQu is a social movement that will seek to create a community of supporters. Its goal is to change the narrative and conversation around the fate of the displaced in Africa. Furthermore,their aim is to demonstrate that Africans can play a transformative role in changing the lives of refugees. The LuQuLuQu campaign is scheduled to run in Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, Nigeria, Cote d’ Ivoire and Senegal.
This campaign revolves around the African Philosophy “Ubuntu” or “Ujamaa” which promotes the principles and values of shared responsibility, shared resources, and caring for one another, inherent to African culture and belief. “We are seeking a home grown solution to the ever-increasing Africa refugee crisis. It is a call on Africans to take action to solve the continent’s worsening refugee crisis,” said Yvonne Ndege, UNHCR, Kenya Spokesperson. The continent has 20.2 million displaced people. Kenya is host to nearly half a million of these (489,239), 78%of whom are women and children while 57% are under 18 years of age.
“Despite the rising number of refuges across the continent, we have so far only received 35 percent of the critical funding required to assist refuges in Africa .UNHCR seeks to engage Kenyans and other Africans to partner in bringing solutions to the displaced in Africa,”Ndege added, She further added that increased displacement crises across the world has led to a drop in earmarked funding for Africa.
The essence of the LuQuLuQu campaign is to engage ordinary citizens and corporate organizations to redefine the existing image of Africa displacement crisis, and co-create with the UN refugee Agency, a new image of African refugee-one of self-reliance, empowerment and inclusion in the mainstream.
Donations can be made through the online donation page donate.unhcr.org/luquluqu and paybill number 329378, account name LuQuLuQu.
