Etienne Basenge Namenye was reported missing for more than six months after travelling to Uganda to care for his ill mother in a refugee camp. Upon his arrival, Namenye was kidnapped outside of his hotel and subsequently held captive from December until early June. During his time in captivity, he was moved to various locations around Uganda and Rwanda. His family went months without hearing from him, not knowing if he was dead or alive. When he was finally released and was able to call his wife, his family was ecstatic. Etienne is now home and safe, but the trauma and physical effects of months spent in captivity have taken a serious toll on his health and persist.

And this is not the first tragedy that has befallen Etienne. He was abducted from a refugee camp in Rwanda once before in 2012, and he suffered severe burns to much of his body while saving his family from a house fire in 2018.

Etienne, his wife Assinath, and their children, Regis (8), Roger (10) and Divine (12), are resilient and in good spirits but are in need of your support. He and his family would greatly appreciate any contributions you could make to assist with his recovery process.

You can read more about these unfortunate incidents at the following links:

Telegraph-Journal - ‘I’m here by myself with my kids’: Saint Johner makes appeal for missing husband

https://tj.news/story/101460014

Telegraph-Journal - ‘Thank God for this miracle’: Kidnapped father returns to Saint John from Uganda

https://tj.news/story/101602633

CBC - The incredible journey of recovery for the father who saved his family from their burning home

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/dartmouth-etienne-basenge-fire-recovery-1.4512479