Uganda, situated in East Africa, houses a population of approximately 47.2 million people, characterized by a substantial number of young individuals, with 77% being under 30 years old. Despite its vibrant youth, the country faces daunting challenges. Extreme poverty is prevalent, affecting 42.4% of the population, who live on less than 2.15 USD daily. The government also grapples with high youth unemployment rates, a recently escalated problem. Moreover, Uganda hosts a large number of refugees from neighboring countries. According to the UNHCR monitor, there were around 1,561,636 refugees by June 2023, mainly from South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DCR), and Somalia.
Approximately 90,000 refugees have found shelter in the Rwamwanja Refugee Settlement, with the majority seeking refuge from the ongoing civil war and rebel activities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Among them, over 82% are women and children. The UNHCR’s assessment reveals that only 58.3% of the refugees have some form of occupation, and the vast majority rely on subsistence farming as sustenance.
For older children and youth, the educational situation is challenging. Language barriers and differing curricula compared to the DRC pose significant obstacles. Often, these older students are asked to restart their education at a lower Primary Level, even if they are 15 years old, making them feel out of place and leading to rapid dropouts.