UNHCR seeks home-grown solution to Africa's refugee crisis

Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-13 21:37:33|Editor: pengying
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NAIROBI, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- The UN refugee agency said on Monday that it will launch a major new campaign that calls on Africans to take action to solve the continent's worsening refugee crisis.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said the campaign, "LuQuLuQu," is centered on the African philosophy of "Ubuntu" or "Ujamaa" that promotes the principles and values of shared responsibility, shared resources, and caring for one another, inherent to African culture and belief.

"The essence of the LuQuLuQu campaign is to engage ordinary citizens and corporate organizations to redefine the existing image of Africa's displacement crisis, and co-create with the UNHCR, a new image of the African refugee -- one of self-reliance, empowerment and inclusion into the mainstream," it said in a statement issued in Nairobi.

The campaign to be launched in Nairobi on Saturday asks the hundreds of millions of people on the continent, or connected to Africa, to take ownership of the refugee and displacement problem through simple everyday philanthropic actions, to promote self-reliance and independence, and in so doing, empower refugees.

The LuQuLuQu campaign is a social movement that seeks to create a community of supporters. The LuQuLuQu tribe embraces all of society that seeks to share resources, hospitality, and helps to amplify the voices of the displaced.

With a goal to change the narrative and conversation around the fate of the displaced in Africa, the aim is to demonstrate that Africans can play a transformative role in changing the lives of refugees and the uprooted.

"The LuQuLuQu campaign will be launched simultaneously in six countries in on the continent -- including South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Senegal throughout November," the UNHCR said.

"There are 20.2 million displaced people in Africa. There are nearly half a million in Kenya (489,239). 78 percent of them are women and children," said the UNHCR.

According to the UNHCR, more than half, or 57 percent, are under 18. So far this year, only 35 percent of the critical funding required to assist refugees in Africa has been received.

"With increased displacement crises across the world, earmarked funding for Africa has dropped. UNHCR seeks to engage Kenyans to partner in bringing solutions to the displaced in Africa," it said.

According to the UNHCR, corporates and private enterprises are also invited to take part through new and innovative donation channels.

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