Today is World Refugee Day, and so today’s photo Friday is in recognition of the hundreds of thousands of refugees and internally displaced people as a result of LRA violence—and those who are doing something about it.
This is Marie Francine. She and her husband live in Obo, a town in southeast Central African Republic that has been devastated by LRA violence since 2008. Many in Obo and the surrounding LRA-affected region have been abducted over the last six years, and those who manage to escape are often far from their homes, possibly their country, by the time they do.
Many escapees have been finding their way to Obo, knowing no one and often not even speaking local languages. Marie Francine took it upon herself to set up a local organization in Obo to support these displaced escapees. She and her husband house former LRA, many of who are Congolese girls, and works with regional actors to facilitate their return home. This process can sometimes take months, but Marie Francine ensures that these LRA escapees have a place to stay and are cared for while displaced in Obo.
While there is a distinct difference between refugees and displaced persons, like those that Marie Francine cares for, the root cause is often the same: Forced from your home because of violence or catastrophe.
We are thankful for the incredible local leaders like Marie Francine who not only recognize the needs of those who have been forced far from their homes because of the LRA, but also are determined to do something about it.
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