History / WWII Polish Exiles in Uganda [36]

I am wakiku Edward, the Caretaker of koja cemetery and have done research on Polish refugees in uganda for the last 10 years. I have quite a lot to share and the space and time may not allow me.

The Polish refugees arrived in Uganda in september 1942. They were described as destitutes on arrival as they had totally nothing, Having moved from through Siberia, all over the middle east, India and by ship to Mombasa port. Advertisements were run in Uganda dailies then to get help for these refugees. In uganda, they were settled at camp koja and Nyabyeya in Masindi. A lot of areas have to be discussed here, e.g settlements at the camps(why koja or masindi). Camp administration, Life in the camps, The camp description,(the houses, furniture, beddings,etc. Education in the camps, Challenges eg there were 20% men and about 80% young women, We have several letters written by administrators and alot of other materials. We shall have a conference and a memorial mass on the Polish Refugees in Uganda on 1/11/2010 at koja cemetery and all these will be discussed and exhibited. For more information contact Wakiku Edward at +256782766614 or ugandapolishfoundation@gmail or Fr. Ryszard Jowziak at ryszard_joz@yahoo for English or Polska(polish).

History / Polish WWII Survivors Conference [2]

It is great to read about this conference. We are organising a similar conference in Uganda at the Polish refugee camp at koja on 1st/11/2010. May be your guest speaker lived here.

We have prepared quite a lot for the day after a memorial Mass, We shall have a conference to discuss all that happened. We are going to have an exhibition of; The camp(an artistic representation-remodelled on a flat surface), a model standard house used by the refugees,furniture, beddings and many others. We have a lot of Archive Material concerning administration, Education, Visas,appointment letters for different classes of camp workers,and terms of employment, How the workers were sourced, Documents used in occupied Poland(in Russian and Gernany Languages) Hundres of photographs for koja,Masindi in Uganda and Tengeru camp in Tanzania. It will be great if we share information on this subject/issue for the benefit of we the organisers and the partcipants/visitors. Contact me on

+256782766614 or ugandapolishfoundation@gmail or contact Fr. Ryszard Jozwiak a polish missinary in Uganda at ryszard_joz@yahoo or +256774-366059.
Wakiku Edward(care taker of koja cemetery)