Princess Marie will undertake a humanitarian trip in Uganda from 26 February to 1 March as Patron of DanChurchAid. Princess Marie will be joined by DanChurchAid’s Secretary-General Birgitte Qvist-Sørensen and the organisation’s local staff during the trip where they’ll visit a number of projects focused on development and climate efforts in the country. Princess Marie has been Patron of DanChurchAid since 2011 and has undertaken three humanitarian trips before. She visited Cambodia in 2012, Ethiopia in 2014 and Cambodia again in 2016.
On 26 February, Princess Marie will visit the Raising Gabdho Foundation. The Foundation collaborates with DanChurchAid and works to ensure that environmental and natural resources are protected and reused for the benefit of refugees in Uganda among other things. They have three strategic programme areas to help the communities reach that goal: Clean Energy, Innovation and Livelihood.
On 27 February, Princess Marie will meet farmers and families who grow crops both for the local population, but also for Danish consumers as part of DanChurchAid’s “Fresh Fruit Nexus” project in Arua. DanChurchAid collaborates with the companies Nordic Fruit and Biofresh, whose vision is to lift local production. Better food storage, reducing food waste and establishing local jobs are among the goals of the project. Afterwards, she will visit the Omugo Refugee Settlement where she will meet refugee families who have been involved in a project on sustainable climate solutions for refugees in the districts of Arua, Yumbe, and Kampala. As part of the project, DanChurchAid supports, among other things, the work of forming new forest areas.
On 28 February, Princess Marie will take part in a dialogue on the inclusion of villagers in sustainable development. DanChurchAid is working to promote the inclusion of villagers in more equitable and responsible development in the Teso region. The work will be based on teaching and aimed at reducing corruption and securing basic rights in cooperation with the Church of Uganda – Teso Diocese’s Planning and Development Office.
She will then meet farmers who are working to combat the consequences of climate change in the region. DanChurchAid collaborates with the Soroti Catholic Diocese Integrated Development Organisation on a project that aims to give the villagers courses in gender equality, budgeting, vaccination of chickens, prevention of climate change and crisis management in the event of natural disasters.
On 29 February, Princess Marie will meet with young climate activists as part of DanChurchAid’s work with the ACT Uganda Forum on various issues related to climate change. Afterwards, she will attend a reception hosted by the Danish Ambassador to Uganda Nikolaj A. Hejberg Petersen in his residence.
To conclude her visit to the country, Princess Marie will have a meeting on 1 March with the Uganda Women’s Network. DanChurchAid works with the Uganda Women’s Network to provide education for women with the aim of educating and supporting women’s opportunities to participate in both local and national political work. UWONET has three main areas of work: Women’s Governance and Leadership, Women’s Economic Justice and Empowerment and Knowledge Management, Voice and Accountability.
Great content! Super high-quality! Keep it up! 🙂