On Friday, 22 May, the team from Trauma Rescue Aid (TRAID), made up mainly of refugees, visited the Philips Charity Foundation – Kiwanga Integrated Skills Training Center in Uganda.
It was not a formal or complicated day. It was a simple visit built around connection, learning, and sharing time with people doing important work in the community.
A visit built on respect and gratitude
TRAID works mainly with refugees and displaced families, but we also know something very real. None of this work can happen without the kindness of host communities.
In Uganda, many families and local groups have opened their doors to refugees over the years. So this visit was also a way of saying thank you. Not just with words, but by showing up and spending time together.
Learning from Kiwanga Integrated Skills Training Center
At the Kiwanga Integrated Skills Training Center, run by Philips Charity Foundation, the team was welcomed warmly by staff and management.
We learned about their daily programs, especially the work they do with children, including children with disabilities. The center focuses on skills training, care, and inclusion. Simple things that make a big difference in people’s lives.
It was also a moment of exchange. We shared our own experiences working with refugees and trauma-affected communities, and they shared theirs from working directly within the host community.
Nothing fancy. Just honest conversations between people trying to support others in different ways.
Time with the children
The most powerful part of the visit was spending time with the children and young people at the center.
We talked, listened, and shared small moments with them. You quickly realize that children do not need complicated things. They need attention, safety, and kindness.
TRAID also supported the center with food items for the children, especially those with disabilities. It was a small gesture, but one that came from a place of care and solidarity.
Why social cohesion matters
This visit reminded us of something important. Refugees and host communities are not separate worlds. They live side by side, share services, schools, health centers, and daily life.
That is why social cohesion matters so much in Uganda refugee response work. When people understand each other, support becomes easier. Tension reduces. Trust grows slowly, but it grows.
Appreciation to host communities in Uganda
We want to sincerely thank the Ugandan host communities for their continued hospitality and support to refugees. It is not something we take for granted.
Without that openness, much of the work done by organizations like TRAID would not be possible.
Final thought
This visit to Philips Charity Foundation – Kiwanga Integrated Skills Training Center was simple, but meaningful.
It reminded us that humanitarian work is not only about big projects. Sometimes it is just about showing up, listening, and building small bridges between people.
TRAID remains committed to promoting refugee and host community cooperation, disability inclusion, and peaceful coexistence in Uganda.
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