By Frank Kamuntu
Kampala: The Pan-African Pyramid in conjunction with the Office of the Prime Minister (Department of Disaster Preparedness and Refugees), have always worked together to organize a unique annual event known as ‘Christmas With Refugees’.
The campaign aims at creating a smile on the faces of refugees living in Uganda a way of re-shaping their lives and mind-sets that have been exposed to wars and persecution for decades, leaving them traumatised for life.
The charitable project which was initiated by Pan-African Pyramid (PAP) in 2016 is an activity conducted during the festive season every year and has so far seen Kiryandongo, Bidi bidi and Rwamwanja refugees respectively share the love on X-mas eve. This time round, it’s the people at Nakivale Refugee Settlement with whom we shall the spirit of Pan-Africanism.
During visits to these refugee camps, PAP team usually donates basic amenities that help refugees overcome problems like lack of food, clothes, lack of soap, jerrycans, basins etc, to help them make life a bit easier, despite other many challenges they face.
The charitable works also aim at helping refugees celebrate Christmas and the festive season like other people living elsewhere in the world, without lacking anything.
During the festive season, Pan Africanists join hands voluntarily to collect relief items like clothes, shoes, food, utensils, medicare, mattresses, etc from fellow Pan-Africanists, well-wishers, manufacturing companies, markets including Owino, Nakasero, Kalerwe etc, which are later delivered, before Christmas between 22nd to 24th, to specific refugee centers, such that refugees there can also to enjoy the festive season.
During the above dates, Pan African pyramid members don’t only deliver donations to refugees, but also spend some good time with them helping to fetch water, play games, offer words of wisdom and encouragement, plus socializing with their young ones as a way of reminding them that they are one as Africans, but only divided by conflict, plus artificial and geographical boundaries.
Pan-African Pyramid has conducted many visits to refugee camps including Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement in Hoima district (in 2016) which is mainly occupied by Kenyans and South Sudanese.
PAP members traveled 112.14 miles (180.47 km) to reach from Kampala, in 2016.
The second visit was in 2017 to the world’s largest refugee settlement, Bidi Bidi, in Yumbe District, where PAP members traveled 533.1 KM to the camp based in northwestern Uganda, occupied by over 270,000 South Sudanese, who were displaced by the civil war in their country.
Then in 2018, the PAP team visited Rwamwanja Refugee Settlement camp in Kamwenge District, after traveling 290.5 km from Kampala. They left many refugees praising PAP for the support given to them.
However, the Pan-African Pyramid does not only organize refugee visits; it also brings together debaters of all races, calibers and academic backgrounds to discuss positive issues that are aimed at the total economic and social liberation of Africa and Africans.
The debates are usually held at Fairway Hotel every Friday evening under the theme: ‘FREE YOUR MIND’
The Pan-African Pyramid organizes such events basing on its principles as an intellectual, non-partisan discussion forum, built on the Pillars of PAN-AFRICANISM, PATRIOTISM and NATIONALISM, whose Ideal/pre-occupation is to REVIVE intellectual discourse among youth with a bias on re-constructing our lost Pan-Africanism, patriotism and Nationalism Values and spirit.
What Is Pan-Africanism?
Pan-Africanism is an ideology and movement that encourages the solidarity of Africans worldwide. It is based on the belief that unity is vital to economic, social, and political progress and aims to ‘Unify and uplift’ people of African descent.
The ideology asserts that the fate of all African peoples and countries are intertwined. At its core Pan-Africanism is “a belief that African peoples, both on the continent and in the diaspora, share not merely a common history, but a common destiny”
Pan African Pyramid Vision:
To articulate the concerted efforts geared towards promoting the true African Awakening among the BLACK people throughout Africa and in the Diaspora, and galvanize inventions and innovations of the African people.
Pan African Pyramid Mission:
To REVIVE intellectual discourse among the youths with a bias of re-constructing our lost Pan-Africanism, patriotism and Nationalism Values and spirit.
