Refugees find hope through music charity supported by MAF

Young refugees at Bidibidi learn how to play brass instruments (credit: Damalie Hirwa)

‘Brass for Africa’ staff regularly fly with MAF to bring hope to traumatised refugees in Bidibidi, northern Uganda – the world’s second largest refugee settlement. Twice a week, their music programmes bring joy to hundreds of people who are suffering from the horrors of war. MAF’s Damalie Hirwa reports.

MAF partner ‘Brass for Africa’ supports vulnerable people across Uganda, Rwanda and Liberia including refugees at Bidibidi in Yumbe, northern Uganda – Africa’s largest refugee settlement.

Created in 2016, Bidibidi Settlement is ‘home’ to at least 270,000 mostly South Sudanese refugees who fled South Sudan’s six-year civil war, which broke in 2013 (source: UN).

Bidibidi Settlement is home to some 270,000 refugees (credit: Damalie Hirwa)

The war, followed by ongoing intercommunal violence compounded by climate change and food insecurity, has forced over 2.2 million people to flee from South Sudan into neighbouring countries.

Nearly a decade after the war, hundreds of thousands of people are still living in limbo in Bidibidi, Uganda, too afraid to return home, yet struggling with limited resources and the trauma of war.

They are haunted by graphic memories of the murders they witnessed, which changed their lives forever. Many are in the grip of depression.

Children are born into a state of limbo and a lack of resources (credit: Damalie Hirwa)

Suicide rates have dropped

According to ‘Brass for Africa’, when they started delivering their engaging music programmes in 2020, suicide rates in Bidibidi were higher than they are now.

In 2021, there were over 160 suicides, but in 2023, this dropped to 40.

This is greatly attributed to their programmes like ‘Music for Healthcare Inclusion’ where refugees learn how to play brass instruments for relaxation as well as gaining a skill, which could help them earn a living.

Playing in a band fosters community and a sense of belonging (credit: Damalie Hirwa)

Playing in a band also fosters community and hope. Molly Nabwami, Brass for Africa’s health officer, is pleased with the results:

‘We are happy that suicide cases are significantly dropping since we started our interventions. Last year, there were 40 cases. This is very good progress because in previous years, the number of cases were much higher. We continue to do advocacy.’

Hakim Joseph, a leader at Bidibidi Settlement’s Zone II, came to Uganda from South Sudan in September 2016. He says that many refugee face mental health struggles with some resorting to suicide:

‘In this zone alone, 18 people attempted suicide in 2022. 16 of them were successful, but awareness from the partners and programmes like the one Brass for Africa started, are helping a lot. This year we’ve had three attempted suicides, but none were successful.’

Suicide rates have dropped thanks to Brass for Africa (credit: Damalie Hirwa)

Community is flourishing

Before Brass of Africa arrived, there was hostility between the host community and refugees. Some locals refused to share their wells, firewood and land.

Both refugees & locals learn together creating social cohesion (credit: Damalie Hirwa)

In response, the Brass of Africa team invited the locals to participate in music classes too. Now there’s a more peaceful co-existence explains Ronald Kabuye, Brass for Africa’s Programmes Manager:

‘When we first came here, there was a serious lack of social cohesion. Life for refugees only meant sleeping and waking up. Now we’ve brought music, we’re achieving a vibrant community. Our lessons aren’t for individuals – we teach them as a group.’

Students learn the Adungu (African harp) in groups, not individually (credit: Damalie Hirwa)

Ronald continues:

‘Another problem refugees face when they leave their home country is their loss of culture. This project helps them to connect and cherish their culture. They can have their music and keep their culture while away from their home country.

‘They have to learn how to expand and grow, even when they’re away from their home country. We help them to achieve that.’

Ronald (L) was orphaned by war – now he’s Brass for Africa management (credit: D. Hirwa)

Ronald speaks from experience. As a boy, he too was orphaned by war and was enrolled in the programme, which he grew up in. He became a music teacher before eventually working his way up to Programmes Manager.

MAF saves time and transforms work

MAF flies the team from Kajjansi Airfield, near the capital Kampala, to Arua on their shuttle service, which flies to Arua four times a week.

MAF’s 4 times a week shuttle service to Arua (closest airstrip to Bidibidi) (credit: D. Hirwa)

Yumbe – home of Bidibidi Settlement – is a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Arua. Bidibidi is one of Brass for Africa’s biggest projects explains Ronald:

‘Bidibidi is our second biggest project, so it requires proper monitoring to ensure that we reach our objectives. This means key staff often have to travel to Yumbe for project quality visits.’

Ronald says their work has been transformed by MAF:

‘Before MAF, this would be an entire day of road travel, plus another day to recover. 12-hour journeys sometimes became 15 hours or more due to bad roads.

‘With MAF, we can travel just half a day then rest. This ensures that more time is spent on monitoring the projects. MAF can also arrange short term visits to the project in case of emergency.’

Ronald Kabuye, Brass for Africa’s Programmes Manager & MAF frequent flyer

Dancing away the depression

Sarah says, her life’s transformed due to Brass for Africa (credit: Damalie Hirwa)

19-year-old Sarah from South Sudan is one of six siblings. Her family was torn apart by the war when her younger brother was murdered by the rebels and her father went missing – probably killed.

Bidibidi has been Sarah’s home for the past six years.

Her healing process with Brass for Africa began in 2020. The programme has changed her life she says:

‘Music is helping to heal my trauma and stress. It’s a journey. When I want to release stress, I play music, go to a private place and cry or visit my friends.

‘I have found myself. I am more confident than I was before. I even counsel my friends who are facing big challenges in the settlement. I have changed from a nobody to a somebody.’

Sarah is one of the ‘lucky’ ones. Other girls her age or younger fall victim to forced marriage and teenage pregnancy. Others sell alcohol to make ends meet and miss out on their education.

Sarah’s older sister ended up marrying an older man she says:

‘There’s a big problem with early marriages here. Parents aren’t able to take care of their children. Many girls don’t go to school and so they get married to much older men – some old enough to be their father.

‘My mother couldn’t take care of us all, so my aunt took responsibility for my big sister, but she didn’t take good care of her. She got pregnant at 16 and was married to an old man. My aunt says it’s useless to take a girl to school because education is for boys.’

Brass for Africa programmes keep young people like Sarah busy, teach them practical and life skills and give them hope for the future.

The fledgling musicians are about to put on a show (credit: Damalie Hirwa)

Over 160 people graduate from a recent music programme (credit: Damalie Hirwa)

Over 160 refugees and host community members are awarded certificates for learning how to play an instrument.

The new musicians show off their newly acquired skills around the settlement. Dancing ensues.

Moments like these are integral to their healing process.