Abstract
Although many refugees leave their home countries with a certain level of uncertainty concerning their survival in the host country, they are hopeful of improving their livelihood and thus being self-reliant. They seize available opportunities in order to start a new life. In doing so, refugees move beyond solely depending on charity actions, having devised survival mechanisms in their new setting by means of self-reliant strategies. This article, therefore, looks at the refugee migrants as agents of change in view of the self-reliance strategies they use for survival. Furthermore, the article points to the courage of the refugees in the host country by presenting qualitative evidence on how refugees’ livelihood strategies have contributed to the improvement of their own well-being in general and, in particular, that of some locals. The data for this study were gathered using in-depth interviews with refugees living in Cape Town, South Africa. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This paper is transdisciplinary in that it presents an ecclesial response to the global challenges facing the refugee community. This is because it aims at transforming the painful experiences of the refugees into opportunities for improved livelihoods and holistic well-being. The paper further depicts how practical theology informs understandings of the phenomenological techniques in an attempt to explore the rhythms of social life from the perspective of the issue under investigation. The article is, therefore, a theological underpinning that informs development practitioners and practical theologians on how to efficiently respond to the pressing needs of refugees using hope as an available resource. In this manner, the article presents strategies that would assist policy-makers in devising sustainable policies and programmes that aim at improving refugees’ livelihoods.
Highlights
In most African countries, the refugee phenomenon is often bred by serious violations of human rights and by conflicts or various other forms of violence (Msabah 2016, 2018a)
Refugees in South Africa face several challenges, including the fact that they are often considered subhumans by a certain section of the local population (Msabah 2016, 2017, 2018a; Msabah & Bowers-Du Toit 2017). Their situation requires that the international community redouble efforts to attain sustainable solutions
It should be noted that refugees migrate mostly because they do not lead a life of dignity and self-worth in their home countries
Summary
In most African countries, the refugee phenomenon is often bred by serious violations of human rights and by conflicts or various other forms of violence (Msabah 2016, 2018a). In this regard, Msabah (2016, 2017, 2018a, 2018b) argues that refugees end up being their own bosses because finding a job is a challenge even to the local population, which is why, even when salaried employment is not forthcoming, their financial burdens compel them to engage in some form of self-employment to preserve their dignity and economic independence Faced with these challenges, some Congolese refugees have launched the Vision for the Development of Fizi (VIDEFI) organisation, which mobilises African communities living in South Africa (around the Bellville areas) as refugees to help them find work or investors for their business projects, and give them advice to adapt to an unknown culture. This is why the predominance of despair ought to provoke the church to become involved in whatever is of public concern to bring about renewed hope
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