Category: News

At Ubuntu Model Primary School, learning goes hand in hand with the promise of two warm meals each day. Our school feeding program has never paused, not because of unlimited resources, but because of the unwavering commitment of the administration and parents who work tirelessly to sustain it.

To strengthen these efforts, the school established a garden where maize, beans, and vegetables are grown every farming season. At GRI, we proudly support this initiative by providing farm inputs and technical guidance, ensuring that every harvest contributes directly to the children’s meals. We also established a fruit tree orchard, adding much-needed vitamins to their diet. Beyond this, our partnership with Feed the Hungry has been a blessing, with their MannaPack food supplies providing dependable support that keeps the program running smoothly.

The results are clear. Children now attend school more regularly, remain attentive in class, and perform better academically. For them, food represents more than just filling an empty stomach; it is joy, comfort, energy, and hope for a brighter future.

As we look ahead, we know this journey is best walked together. With your continued support, we can sustain and expand this program, ensuring that every child at Ubuntu Model Primary School is nourished in both body and mind.

Would you like to join us on this sustainability journey? Click here.

Something remarkable took place in Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement. Together with our partners at FINCA Bank Uganda, Global Refugee Initiatives (GRI) brought hope and opportunity to 50 smallholder farmers by training them on Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA).

VSLA is a community-driven model that helps families save, access small loans, and invest in their futures. For many of these farmers, traditional banking feels out of reach. Through VSLAs, they now have a chance to save together and grow their income, access emergency funds when times are hard, invest in seeds, tools, and small businesses, and build resilience that uplifts entire communities.

One farmer shared, “This training has shown us that even with little, we can start something big together.”

At GRI, we believe this is more than financial training. It is a pathway to dignity, resilience, and independence. With the support of FINCA Bank Uganda, refugee and host communities are finding new ways not just to survive but to thrive.

Imagine the impact if more farmers gained these skills. Imagine the children who could stay in school, the families who could endure crises, and the communities that could flourish.

To our generous donors, we are deeply grateful. Your support makes stories like this possible. With your continued commitment, we can expand this work and reach even more families. Join us in creating lasting change.

 

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐖𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐕𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬

What began as a simple gardening activity has turned into a story of self-reliance and change.

Six school clubs, 240 students and 12 teachers, guided by our program lead and her team, learned how to plant and nurture crops using climate-smart methods. Seedlings sprouted, the soil came alive, and hope grew alongside the vegetables.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

As the vegetables matured, students began selling their fresh produce to teachers, school staff, and visitors. Each school safely stored the earnings in bright savings boxes provided by GRI. These were not just for storage, but a promise.

A promise that these gardens can sustain themselves without relying on donors.

A promise of new seeds, stronger tools, and more climate-smart projects in the future.

𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬:

• Self-reliance can grow from a handful of seeds.

• Teamwork makes gardens and communities flourish.

• Young people, given the chance, can lead real change.

This is more than agriculture.

It is a step toward food security.

It is a movement, and it is just getting started.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭, 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬. 𝐓𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞.

Global Refugee Initiatives (GRI) has reached an important milestone: the distribution of menstrual hygiene kits to 1,000 schoolgirls across five primary schools in the Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement.

Each girl received reusable sanitary pads, soap, and underwear, along with guidance on how to manage their periods with dignity and comfort.

To reduce school absenteeism, each school also received an Emergency Menstrual Hygiene Aid Kit containing laundry soap, reusable pads, and underwear to support girls when menstruation begins unexpectedly during school hours.

These kits, overseen by senior women teachers, are helping girls continue their education without interruption. This achievement was made possible through collaboration with school leadership, staff, and community members, strengthening efforts to build safe, inclusive learning environments for all.

When girls are supported to stay in school, entire communities benefit.

This month, Global Refugee Initiatives (GRI), in partnership with AFRIpads, conducted a capacity-building training on Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM), puberty education, and effective adolescent communication for senior women teachers across five primary schools in the Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement.

The training empowered 10 senior women teachers with in-depth knowledge on menstruation, puberty, and adolescent development. It also provided practical skills in the use and care of reusable menstrual pads, alongside effective strategies for delivering sensitive reproductive health information to adolescents.

A practical session further engaged 40 learners- both girls and boys, encouraging open dialogue, reducing stigma, and fostering peer support.

This initiative is a key step toward creating safe, inclusive, and supportive school environments where every learner can thrive with dignity.

Global Refugee Initiatives (GRI) is promoting high-value crop farming to enhance livelihoods and economic empowerment in the Kiryandongo refugee settlement. Through this initiative, GRI has supported over 200 newly arrived refugees with 2,000 sweet yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis var. flavicarpa) seedlings, well-suited to the region’s soil and climate.

To scale up impact, GRI has constructed a greenhouse shelter that now hosts both passion fruit and agroforestry tree seedlings, contributing to reforestation and sustainable agriculture in the area. Already, 3,000 passion fruit seedlings have been distributed to 150 farmers from the host community, strengthening peaceful coexistence through shared economic opportunities.

Together, we are planting seeds of hope, resilience, and prosperity. 

Thanks to your generous support, something truly beautiful is growing in the Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement and host community!

Together with 240 enthusiastic children and 12 dedicated teachers across six schools, we’re transforming schoolyards into vibrant agroforestry demonstration gardens—living classrooms for climate-smart agriculture. With fenced plots, enriched soil, and thriving nurseries, young hands are nurturing seedlings that will soon flourish alongside trees in sustainable gardens.

But these gardens grow more than food. They’re teaching vital skills in sustainable farming, nutrition, and environmental stewardship. Children are learning how to restore land, conserve water, and build resilience to climate change.

By blending trees with vegetables, these gardens enrich soil, protect natural resources, and strengthen food security for both refugee and host communities.

Most importantly, you’re helping raise a generation of climate leaders—children who believe in their power to make a difference, because you believed in them first.

Let’s grow the next garden—and the next young leader. Click here to keep the impact growing.

The first school term in Uganda is always an exciting time for primary school athletics—and this year marked a major milestone for Ubuntu Model Primary School. For the very first time, our learners proudly competed in inter-school sports events within the Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement. And they didn’t just participate—they brought home some well-earned victories!

With boundless energy, determination, and heart, our young athletes gave it their all in sprints and relays. One unforgettable moment was when they received their first-ever sports uniforms—a generous gift made possible by your support. The change was immediate: confidence soared, smiles widened, and our learners wore their new kits with immense pride, raising Ubuntu’s banner high.

Reflecting on the experience, their dedicated sports patron, Mr. Robert, shared:
“Our learners are incredibly talented, but we’ve always lacked the equipment to nurture their full potential. Even with limited resources, they performed remarkably. Just imagine what they could achieve with full support! We’re deeply grateful to GRI for stepping in with some much-needed athletic items. Your support made a real difference.”

Inspired by their determination, we now call on more donors, partners, and well-wishers to join us in fully equipping the sports clubs at Ubuntu Model Primary School—and across other schools in the settlement. Together, we can help our children run even further toward their dreams.

Global Refugee Initiatives (GRI), in collaboration with Ubuntu Model Primary School, recently conducted a livelihoods program needs assessment aimed at introducing newly arrived refugee parents from Sudan to existing income-generating opportunities. The meeting, attended by 87 parents (54 women and 33 men), provided a platform for both new and existing parents to share knowledge on economic activities that can help sustain their families and support their children’s education.

Key insights from the discussions revealed that:

65% of parents expressed interest in farming, proposing activities such as poultry, piggery, vegetable growing, and large-scale maize production.

25% of parents emphasized the need for business skills and startup capital for ventures like soap making, baking, tailoring, and small shops.

10% of parents, particularly skilled workers, requested tools and equipment for trades such as bricklaying, welding, and milling.

With over 100 parents eager to join GRI’s economic empowerment initiatives, this assessment highlights the urgent need for expanded livelihood support to help refugee families rebuild their lives. The inclusion of new arrivals from Sudan in these programs ensures that they can integrate into the community and contribute meaningfully to their children’s well-being.

We are calling on donors, partners, and well-wishers to support this transformative program. Your contribution, whether through funding, technical support, or resource mobilization will make a lasting impact on refugee families.

For partnerships and support, reach out to us today at info@griuganda.org

Farming in the Kiryandongo refugee settlement is challenging, especially during dry seasons when limited land and water scarcity worsen food insecurity. Refugee mothers struggle to access nutritious vegetables, increasing malnutrition among infants and expectant mothers.

To tackle this, GRI is supporting 200 refugee farmers through block farming. By providing access to land, training in soil water conservation techniques like mulching, ridge planting, and solar-powered irrigation, we are ensuring food security and sustainable livelihoods.

This initiative is making a real difference—helping refugee families grow nutritious food and boost household incomes. Together, we can expand this impact! Click here to support.