Taking refugee inclusion to Kampala’s largest market

26th June, 2024-Kampala. Re:BUiLD staff and partners take part in cleaning Owino market in commemoration of World Refugee Day. 

Owino market, also known as St Balikuddembe in downtown Kampala, is an unmistakable feature of Uganda’s bustling capital. It is one of the largest and oldest markets in the city. Customers can get any household items from vegetables, textiles, shoes, fruits, electronics, restaurants, and more. On any given day, the market of 50,000 vendors serves at least 300,000 customers.  

It is at this vast market that Re:BUiLD together with the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), and several other partners took the ‘solidarity and inclusion with refugees’ message as Kampala commemorated World Refugee Day with the market cleanup exercise on 25th June 2024. The World Refugee Day is globally commemorated every year on June 20th.  

‘Markets are a vital space for urban refugee livelihoods’, observed Moses Odokonyero, the Re:BUilD  Senior Program Manager in Kampala. ‘The act of cleaning Owino market was also a social inclusion act that involved refugees, their leaders, the market vendors, and their leaders’, added Mr. Odokonyero.

26th June, 2024-Kampala. Re:BUiLD staff and partners take part in cleaning Owino market in commemoration of World Refugee Day.  

Armed with brooms, brushes, trash bags, and protective gear, refugees, market vendors, and staff from partner organizations donned with visibility materials emblazoned with messaging such as ‘‘Refugees: People like you and me, solidarity with refugees’’ and ‘‘Refugees contribute to our communities’, cleaned the market from morning till in early afternoon. This not only enhanced the cleanliness of the market but also strengthened the bond between refugees and the host community.  

Sarah, a Ugandan market vendor shares, “I learned a lot about the struggles refugees face in our city and how we can support each other for the betterment of the city.”  

Hassan, a refugee from South Sudan, said, “This event made me feel like a part of the community. Beyond cleaning; it is about showing that we can contribute positively to the places we live.”

As of July 31, 2024, Uganda, hailed the world over for having a progressive refugee policy, was host to  1,722, 378 refugees and asylum seekers, out of which 148, 898 are in Kampala, according to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).

The success of the World Refugee Day activities at Owino Market demonstrates the potential for collaborative efforts to enhance social cohesion and economic inclusion. Supporting such initiatives further integrates refugees into the urban fabric, contributing to a more inclusive and resilient society.

Other World Refugee Day activities in Kampala held to show solidarity with refugees included an exhibition, a football match, a medical camp, and a TV talk show.

An appreciative city

A week after the World Refugee Day market -cleaning, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) Country Office in Kampala received an appreciation letter from KCCA.

“Your organization showed the utmost professionalism and outstanding attention to detail in cleaning services. IRC has consistently maintained a high level of support towards KCCA’s developmental programs, positively impacting our technical capacity and the morale of our team,” read an appreciation letter from Denis Omodi Ayela, Town Clerk, Kampala Central Division which hosts Owino market. 

 

Appreciation letter from KCCA to the International Rescue Committee (IRC) Country Office, Kampala.