ProBono.Org in collaboration with the Messina Legal Advice Office (MLAO) and the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa (CoRMSA), celebrated World Refugee Day in Musina this year. Situated in the north of Limpopo and close to the Zimbabwean border, it has a refugee reception centre which receives thousands of refugees a day. Musina was therefore the perfect location to host a World Refugee Day event which is celebrated on 20 June each year to honour the courage, strength and determination of women, men and children who are forced to flee their homes under threats of persecution, conflict and violence.
Our event was aimed at celebrating and honouring refugees and the response we received from the community shows that we achieved our purpose. Community members came out in their numbers. There were performances by the Youth Group from Purpose Driven Ministry and a very touching performance from the Refugee Group. This all reminded us that we need to treat each other with humility and kindness.
A social worker from the Department of Social Development spoke on the services that they offer and that these services also extend to refugees. We also had a representative from the Department of Health who stressed the importance of Health who stressed the importance of building inclusive healthcare systems. We were also joined by various stakeholders such as Future Families, the Red Cross, International Organisation for Immigration and the Outreach Foundation.
