CWS News

Cipayung – Erika Feller, UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner – Protection, and Pascale Moreau, Deputy Director of the Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, visited  the Church World Service “Protecting Urban Refugees throught Empowerment” (PURE) project on Thursday, 11 February 2010. They were accompanied by UNHCR Representative for Indonesia and Timor Leste, Manuel Jordão, as well as UNCHR Indonesia staff. The UNHCR delegation visited the refugee center in Cipayung, Bogor, run by CWS to observe activities and talk to the refugees. .

PURE is a partnership between CWS with the UNHCR that provides livelihood, health referral and psychosocial assistances to persons of concern (refugees and asylum seekers) recommended by the UNHCR. The program seeks to reduce their vulnerability to protection risks through a wide range of activities involving fellow community members with which they are interacting.

During their visit, Ms. Feller and Ms. Moreau observed classes being conducted for the refugees in the center. These  included a computer class, a sewing class, and a Bahasa Indonesia class, mostly attended by refugees from Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Iran.  Ms. Feller had a conversation with a female refugee from Afghanistan who was attending the computer class. She asked her what made her leave her country and how she got to Indonesia. She and Mr. Jordão checked a document indicating that she has been granted refugee status by UNCHR. Ms. Moreau conversed with some female refugees about their sewing activity in the center. “We have the class twice in a week and make cloths for ourselves,” said Sandira from Sri Lanka, who was measuring clothing pattern for the dress she’s making.

Ms. Feller is inquiring about a product of livelihood activities.
(CWS Indonesia)

The visitors also had the opportunity to hold a dialogue with the refugees about the most pressing concerns that they were having. Finally, the UNHCR delegation visited the shelter for unaccompanied minors as well as the home of a Sri Lankan family. [IS/II/2010]