“Are we an elected people”? Religion and the everyday experience of young Congolese refugees in Kampala

Despite the spectacularization of migratory processes, young Congolese refugees in Kampala try to live ordinary lives and to find a way to secure livelihoods. In this context, they often rely on Congolese associations and religious groups to build new social networks, find job opportunities and reduce the uncertainty of their living in Kampala. The chapter explores the presence of Congolese “refugees’ churches” in the slum of Katwe, and their role in the Congolese diaspora in the area. It focuses on the way Pentecostal narratives contribute to frame the experience of being refugees, especially through the parallelism with the “elected people” and the promise of a future redemption (being resettled in a Western country). At the same time, these narratives are approached with a pragmatic attitude, and transformed to adapt to everyday situations. Finally, I analyse how religion can become an instrument of social mobility in the context of refuge.