Refugees Week: Finding Hope through Artwork
27 June 2023
Tobu Junior and Chantal Uwera selling their artwork at the UN Regional Service Centre Entebbe as part of the Refugees Week organized by the UN Refugee Agency Uganda (UNHCR) (Photos: Carolina Lessa)
Tobu Junior was 7 years old when a rebel group invaded his village in Wudu, South Sudan, killing his parents and setting fire to their house. He managed to flee the country in the back of a truck with his uncle and other people from his village.
In Uganda, Tobu found not only a safe shelter but a place where he could develop his talents and earn a living.
Today, at the age of 23, Tobu paints his own memories. “Homeless” is one of his most recent paintings, portraying two abandoned children in the middle of an uninhabited village in South Sudan. It tells the story of many children like his brother and himself who lost everything in the name of war.
“I use art as therapy to forget what I went through. When I painted “Homeless” last year, I wanted to keep it for myself so I could remember my village. My friends were the ones who convinced me to sell it. They told me they didn’t want to see me crying indoors. By bringing it to the RSCE exhibition, I hope to bring people hope. It is not the end. I went through all of this and now I am here”, said Tobu.
As part of Refugee's Week organized by UNHCR Uganda, the Regional Service Centre Entebbe hosted a craft market on Friday 23rd June. Tobu and his colleague Chantal Uwera exhibited and sold their handicrafts, such as bags, bracelets, clothes, and paintings to RSCE’s staff and visitors. Chantal was particularly pleased, as she mentioned she had never sold so many of her products in a single day. Both thanked RSCE for its notable support.
Chantal, 38 years old, fled the Democratic Republic of Congo thirteen years ago after witnessing the death of her parents and siblings at the hands of rebel groups. In Uganda, she married and had four children. After her husband left her behind, she had to support her kids on her own by tailoring bags, jewelry, and other accessories.
“When I reached Kampala, I realized that getting a job was not easy. At this time, I was living on a refugee campus and people from an NGO offered me handicraft training. I decided to keep working on that because I saw it as an opportunity to make money. When you do something with quality you can get customers”, said Chantal who is the Chairperson of the Ugandan Refugee Women's Craft Group.
Uganda currently hosts over 1.5 million refugees, making it Africa’s largest refugee-hosting country. Most of them come from neighboring countries such as South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, and Somalia. Despite numerous challenges they have faced, including limited access to shelter, healthcare, and legal documentation, Uganda has given them reasons to dream.
“My dream is to open my own gallery in Uganda where I can sell my artwork and teach other kids how to paint so they can also earn a living. I arrived here hopelessly, and I survived through art. I also dream of having a big and happy family”, said Tobu.
Source: iSeek (UN Secretariat Intranet)
