LuQuLuQu: UNHCR New Campaign to Solve Africa’s Refugee Crisis

The UN refugee agency on Thursday launched its new funds drive calling on Africans to take action to solve the continent’s worsening refugee crisis.

The ‘LuQuLuQu Campaign’ which is scheduled to run in Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Senegal 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.

“We are seeking a home-grown solution to the ever-increasing Africa refugee crisis. It is a call on Africans to take action,” said Yvonne Ndege, UNHCR, Kenya Spokesperson.

According to Yvonne, Africa has 20.2 million displaced people, the East African region has over 2 million either refugees or displaced persons and Kenya is host to nearly half a million of these (489,239), 78 percent of whom are women and children and 57 percent are under 18 years of age.

“The purpose of this initiative is about ownership. Kenyans need to know it is our problem too.  Many at times there is no expected action beyond hospitality. We don’t want empathy. We can do something about it,” she added.

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.

The campaign 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.

“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.

Kenya influencers in the campaign include Pinky Ghelani, Mercy Masika, Amina Abdi and Jackson Biko (Biko Zulu).

Donations can be made through the online donation page and M-pesa paybill number 329 378.