20/06/2026
*FROM DISPLACEMENT TO DIGNITY*
*World Refugee Day* – 20 June 2026
*Key Verse*
"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in." — Matthew 25:35 (NIV)
Today, as the world commemorates World Refugee Day, we remember the millions of people whose lives have been shattered by war, persecution and violence. Uganda continues to be one of the world's most welcoming refugee-hosting nations, providing refuge to more than 2 million refugees and asylum seekers from 34 countries. More than half have fled the conflict in South Sudan, while nearly one-third escaped the devastating war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Most are women and children, and over 90 percent live in refugee settlements where access to food, education, healthcare and sustainable livelihoods remains an ongoing challenge.
Yet behind these statistics are real people with names, families and dreams. They are mothers struggling to feed their children, fathers longing to rebuild their lives, and children hoping for a future free from fear. They are people created in the image of God. The Lord therefore commands us, "Love the foreigner residing among you as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God." (Leviticus 19:34).
One such story is that of Okello Annuarite, a 29-year-old mother of six living in Kyaka II Refugee Settlement in Kyegegwa District. In 2015, war broke out in her homeland, the Democratic Republic of Congo. Violence swept through her community, claiming the lives of relatives, neighbours and friends. Like thousands of others, she fled with little more than the hope of keeping her children alive, leaving behind her home, possessions and cherished memories to seek refuge in Uganda.
Although she had escaped the conflict, life as a refugee presented a different battle.