“Soap for Hope” Project

I’m grateful to be working on an international project. Some of you may know my connections to refugee communities in Uganda run back to 2017, when I interned with a refugee-led organization using technology to give people who are refugees avenues to voice their concerns, access information, and learn new skills.

Today I’m back at it, partnering with Uganda-based Dream Production and Fort Wayne, Indiana-based Friends of the Third World (a 501[c][3] organization), to get kits of hygiene supplies relevant to COVID-19 (washable masks, durable gloves, packs of soap, water cans) to Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement, an urban refugee settlement in central Uganda, into the hands of 100 especially vulnerable refugee households. You can read more details of our project below, and/or contribute here.

The Story: In ordinary times, Dream Production (led by refugee youth in Kiryandongo) focuses attention on helping refugee youth strengthen their artistic talents (filmmaking, dance, songwriting, poetry, and more) and apply these talents to peacebuilding and development goals.

During COVID-19, this organization’s focus has adapted to meet the times. Given Wilson, our partner with Dream Production, told me that refugee families in his camp were feeling traumatized because of an influx of information about how to protect themselves from COVID-19, but a lack of ability to access hygiene supplies that would help families keep themselves safe and healthy. Through a partnership between Dream Production, Friends of the Third World, and Claire Bates Music, we’re stretching to help secure hygiene supplies for 100 households.

How You Can Help:

• If you can donate: Please do so at our GoFundMe page. For these basic items, every little bit helps (mask $3, durable gloves $2, pack of soap $5, etc.) toward our goal!
• If you are an artist, singer, writer, or performer: Do you have a piece of expression about REFUGEES or HOPE or SOAP? Please consider sharing your piece about that topic online and further spreading the word about this project. You can also cover or pass along my song on this topic, point people toward our GoFundMe page, and use the logo on this page. I’d love to hear about it! (You can email me here.)

Thanks so much! Everything helps!

Claire