Refugees want empowerment, not handouts | Robert Hakiza

翻译人员: Danyang Luo 校对人员: Janice Wang

Currently, most refugees live in the cities

目前，大多数难民都生活在城市里，

rather than in the refugee camps.

而不是难民营。

We represent over 60 percent

我们代表了

全球超过百分之六十的难民。

of the number of refugees globally.

With the majority of refugees living in urban areas,

大多数难民都生活在城区，

there is a strong need for a paradigm shift and new thinking.

因此我们迫切需要转变思维模式， 采取一种新思路。

Rather than wasting money on building walls,

与其花钱大兴土木，

it would be better to spend on programs

不如将钱用在一些

帮助难民进行自救的项目上。

to help refugees to help themselves.

(Applause)

（鼓掌）

We always have to leave behind all our possessions.

我们总会不得已丢弃我们的财产，

But not our skills and knowledge.

但会保留技能和知识。

If allowed to live a productive life,

如果能让难民过上自足的生活，

refugees can help themselves

他们就能自救

and contribute to the development of their host country.

并对收容国的发展作出贡献。

I was born in the city called Bukavu,

我出生在布卡武，

South Kivu,

一个位于刚果民主共和国

in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

基伍南部的城市。

I am the fifth-born in a family of 12 children.

我家共有12个孩子，我排行第五。

My father, a mechanic by profession,

我的父亲，是一名技工。

worked very hard to send me to school.

他辛苦工作，供我上学。

Just like other young people,

和其他年轻人一样，

I had a lot of plans and dreams.

我对未来有许多规划和梦想。

I wanted to complete my studies,

我打算完成学业后，

get a nice job,

找到一份体面的工作，

marry and have my own children

结婚生子，

and support my family.

赚钱养家。

但是这些都没有实现。

But this didn't happen.

War in my homeland forced me to flee to Uganda in 2008,

战争迫使我背井离乡， 在2008年逃到了乌干达，

nine years ago.

也就是九年前。

My family joined a steady exodus of refugees

我们全家加入了逃亡的难民大军，

who settled in Uganda's capital, Kampala.

并定居在坎帕拉（乌干达首都）。

In my country,

在我的国家，

I lived already in the city,

我住在城市里，

and we felt Kampala was much better than a refugee camp.

所以我们感觉坎帕拉要比难民营好得多。

Refugees in the cities

但是城市里的难民

have always been denied international assistance,

寻求国际援助却屡屡被拒，

even after their recognition by UNHCR in 1997.

即使他们已经在1997年 得到联合国难民署的认可。

In addition to the poverty problem we were confronted with

作为当地城市的贫困人群，

除了要面对贫困问题，

as the local urban poor,

we were facing challenges due to our refugee status,

因为难民身份，我们还要面临很多挑战，

such as a language barrier.

比如语言障碍。

In Congo, the official language is French.

在刚果，官方语言是法语。

But in Uganda, it is English.

但在乌干达是英语。

We didn't have access to education and health.

我们无权接受教育，享受医疗。

We were exposed to harassment,

我们会遭受骚扰、

exploitation, intimidation and discrimination.

剥削、恐吓和歧视。

Humanitarian organizations mostly focused

人道主义组织将焦点放在

on the formal settlement in rural areas,

难民在偏远地区的定居问题，

and there was nothing in place for us.

而对于我们就没有什么实际行动。

But we didn't want handouts.

我们并不想要救济品，

We wanted to work and support ourselves.

我们想要工作，养活自己。

I joined my other two colleagues in exile

我和另外两个流亡的同事聚在一起，

and set up an organization to support other refugees.

建立了一个组织，来帮助其他难民。

YARID -- Young African Refugees for Integral Development --

YARID—— 青年非洲难民的全面发展 ——

began as a conversation within the Congolese community.

这个组织起源于刚果社区内部的一次谈话。

We asked the community

当时我们询问大家，

how they could organize themselves to solve these challenges.

如何能够自发组织起来， 解决这些难题。

The YARID programs for support evolve in stages,

YARID的支持项目正在逐步发展，

progressing from soccer community, to English language

从社区足球，到英语语言培训，

to sewing livelihoods.

再到缝纫技能培训。

The soccer changed the energy

足球转移了

失业青年的精力，

of unemployed youth

and connected people from different communities.

把来自不同社区的人联系起来。

The free English classes

免费英语课程

help empower people to engage with the Ugandan community,

使人们能够与当地的乌干达人接触，

allowing them to get to know their neighbors and sell wares.

从而认识周围的人， 并有机会售卖商品。

The vocational training program offers livelihood skills,

职业培训课程提供谋生技能，

有了这些技能， 人们就有机会实现经济自立。

and with them, important opportunities for economic self-reliance.

We've seen so many families

我们已经看到许多家庭

become self-sustaining.

实现了自给自足。

We've seen who no longer needs our help.

我们也看到有些人已经不再需要帮助。

As YARID's programs have expanded,

随着YARID的项目发展壮大，

it has included an increasing range of nationalities --

它所涵盖的国籍范围也在不断扩大--

Congolese, Rwandan, Burundian,

刚果人，卢旺达人，布隆迪人，

Somalis, Ethiopian, South Sudanese.

索马里人，埃塞俄比亚人，南苏丹人。

Today, YARID has supported over 3,000 refugees across Kampala

至今，YARID已经在整个坎帕拉 帮助了超过三千名难民，

我们还将继续帮助更多人。

and continues supporting more.

(Applause)

（鼓掌）

Refugees want empowerment, not handouts.

授之以鱼不如授之以渔， 难民需要自立能力，而不是救济品。

We know our community better than anyone.

我们比任何人都更了解自己的群体。

We understand the challenges and opportunities we face

我们了解实现自力更生

所要面对的挑战与机遇。

to become self-reliant.

I know better than anyone

我比任何人都更理解

that initiatives created by refugees work.

在难民工作中产生的那些倡议。

They need to be internationally recognized and supported.

它们需要得到国际的认可和支持。

Give us the support we deserve,

给予我们所需的支持，

and we will pay you back with interest.

滴水之恩，当涌泉相报。

Thank you so much.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（鼓掌）