Uganda, Kamwenge

CONTEXT

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.

During construction

After construction

Project Type

3 classrooms, toilets and equipment

Construction Period:

May 2023 – July 2024

Budget

40.000 €

Students

60

Partner

Social Innovation Academy (SINA)

Donor

Red Salt

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

The Youth Innovation Hub (YINNOH) is a community initiative within the Rwamwanja Refugee Settlement, spearheaded by the Social Innovation Academy (SINA). The mission is to transform challenges into opportunities through education and social entrepreneurship, particularly for refugee youth. Benjamin Abunuasi, a refugee, and Michael Magamba, a SINA scholar, co-founded the project.
Unlike traditional entrepreneurship projects, SINA implements a “freesponsible” educational concept, which has received several awards in the international community for its efficiency. This learning model is based on experimental, project-based, and problem-based learning. The youth graduate once they have established employment or an enterprise.
The presented project consisted of constructing a three-classroom building using eco-friendly interlocking bricks, an eco-friendly compost toilet with four rooms (two for women and two for men), and equipment with chairs and tables, which were locally made in the refugee camp.