Uganda
Kampala, Uganda, 2002
Basket Weavers
Members of the International Widows Assoc. of South Sudanese Refugees in Uganda (IWASSRU) use traditional skills learned from their mothers and grandmothers to weave bright, eye-catching trays and baskets. IWASSRU has more than 300 members. The women make and sell crafts to support their own families and to provide support to orphans in the refugee camps.
Wars and conflict in Southern Sudan have affected the whole region for generations past and future. Refugees came into Uganda in waves in ’55, ’87, ’90 and ’92.
IWASSRU brings together Muslims and Christians from various ethnic groups, an amazing act in and of itself, as ethnic and religious tensions are significant factors in the Sudanese wars. Despite the name of the organization, not all the members are Sudanese—or widows. When I asked why they joined IWASSRU, these women told me, “We want to improve our living standards and support our families...Coming together allows us to help each other solve our problems — together we have a stronger voice.”
