Resilient and Self‐reliant Life: South Sudanese Refugees Imagining Futures in the Adjumani Refugee Setting, Uganda

Abstract

Resilience and self‐reliance have become central in humanitarian responses to refugee situations. Based on a two‐year longitudinal qualitative study, this article explores how South Sudanese refugee youngsters in Uganda imagine and act towards their futures, and questions what resilience and self‐reliance can mean in the temporary space of the refugee camp. Youngsters need to become accustomed to a future without substantial progress, or be ready to play the game of chance. As such, a resilience and self‐reliance policy not only reveals the powerlessness of refugee youth, but also the limits of a humanitarian project to seek actual solutions to refugee situations.

Resilience of Emerging Adults After Adverse Childhood Experiences: A Qualitative Systematic Review

“…Authors suggest that future research focus on measuring culturally healthy self-reliance as part of self-righting appraisals and that it finds appropriate thresholds to balance the values of self-reliance against seeking trusted advice and help from others (Choo & Marszalek, 2018). As such, the “epitome of resilience and self-reliance” would translate to “looking for new possibilities” to bolster self-righting capacities; accordingly, the individual would be conscious of the fact that “one accepts challenges, whilst also seeking ways to maintain functionality, to keep hope alive for one’s future” (Schiltz et al, 2018, p. 48). In light of cultural implications of self-reliance, future studies ought to compare distinct cultures, such as Asian and Western cultures, as such a comparison may hold the key as to how different degrees of buoyancy (i.e., self-righting) and adaptability in adolescents can affect emerging adults having experienced ACEs (Martin et al, 2017).…”

Post-Migration Life Adversity and Mental Health of Refugees and Asylum Seekers: The Mediating Role of Resilience between Perceived Discrimination, Socio-Economic Strains, Structural Strains, and Mental Health

“…Individualistic views of resilience assume the individual responsibility for risk aversion [ 68 ], implying that the responsibility to display adaptive functioning and mental health is principally on the individual and not on the environment [ 69 ]. However, as Schiltz and colleagues’ [ 68 ] study questioned, it is also important to put in question how access to resources is granted or denied within refugee and asylum policy, the socio-ecological position of the individual, and resources at their disposal determine the resilience of refugees or asylum seekers. The socio-ecological view of resilience repositions resilience and successful transition processes in the social sphere and provides a second way to understand resilience beyond the individual sphere.…”

The Energy Potential of Harvested Wood Fuel by Refugees in Northern Uganda

“…Selection of refugee households was based on the daily use of wood fuel for cooking and residence time in the refugee settlement of at least a year. Data from the interviews were categorised according to household family size, i.e., very small (1-3), small (3)(4)(5), medium (6)(7)(8), large (9)(10)(11)(12), and very large (12)(13)(14)(15), to examine if these influenced the determinants of wood fuel collection and use. In addition, two focus group discussions consisting of 15 members (men, women, youths, elders, village leaders, and cultural leaders) were conducted in each settlement.…”

“…Over 1.4 million refugees are currently hosted in Uganda [2], excluding asylum seekers. Despite the current status of refugees and asylum seekers, the Ugandan Refugee Policy provides for the sheltering of refugees in either camps or settlements [3] and also provides for their free movement, access to land, and work [4]. In addition, the Refugee and Host Population Empowerment (ReHoPE) strategic framework calls for the improvement of the resilience of refugees and host communities to reduce reliance on donor aid [5].…”