Category: News

The Environmental Conservation Program by Global Refugee Initiatives is presently executing an agroforestry project across three schools: Bidong Primary School and Ubuntu Model Primary School, both serving refugees, and Bweyale Public Primary School, representing the host community.

This is intended to reforest the community and provide vegetables and fruits for improved nutrition for learners in the long run.

For the success of this activity, we fenced off the club plots for each of the schools to deter intrusion by animals and unauthorised persons.

Schools enthusiastically embraced this project, willingly engaging in and actively participating in all its activities. During our visit to Bidong Primary School, a school for refugees, we noticed Mr. Leo Okabo, the patron of the Environmental Kids’ Club, eagerly participating in the tree planting activity. When asked about the source of his joy and involvement, here’s what he shared:

“𝘞𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘎𝘭𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘭 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘨𝘦𝘦 𝘐𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘷𝘦𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘉𝘪𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭. 𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺.“

To support GRI’s Environmental Conservation program, click on link

Every child has a right to education; however, many parents/guardians in Kiryandongo Refugee settlement cannot afford to support their children in school due to financial constraints and other family hardships among others. As a result, many children end up losing access to quality education or keeping frustrated in school thus contributing to high school drop-out rates.

GRI therefore started its sponsorship program to support and secure the education of children from such vulnerable backgrounds firstly at Ubuntu Model Primary school and then later to other primary schools within the settlement. In close collaboration with the school administration and other stakeholders, children from most vulnerable homes were identified and recommended for this program.

“I lost my daughter and her husband to the war in South Sudan where we were happily living, since then I assumed full responsibility of these children, the house we constructed collapsed and we were offered this one by a sympathizer at church to occupy for free till further notice, weak as I am there’s nothing much I can do to earn a living, we are fully dependent on support from UNHCR and well-wishers from our church. Am so humbled by your visit and my heart is filled with gratitude for GRI and Ubuntu Model P/S for allowing my two grandchildren to study freely without any disturbances otherwise they would be home with me just like their elder sister here.” Idita Kamisa Said, South Sudanese Refugee.

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At GRI we recognize the critical role forests play in sustaining life on our planet and as such through our environment program in schools in Kiryandongo refugee settlement and host communities, we advocate for a peaceful co-existence between man and his environment. We do this through classroom teachings & reading, tree planting, recycling plastics and other materials, taking nature walks among others.

We engage our environment kids club members in tree planting and maintaining and also support and encourage them to keep planting trees in their homes and as well educate their parents/guardians about the importance of trees, emphasizing that trees/ Forests, known as Earth’s lungs, are vital for a balanced environment, they filter harmful carbon dioxide from the air and are essential for life, they provide food, water and shelter for both humans and animals, and that by cutting down these trees we risk losing these irreplaceable ecosystems around the world.

Together lets plant more trees in Kiryandongo refugee settlement and host communities. Click here to support the cause. Happy International Forest Day 2024

Last week, Our School held its much-anticipated school elections, where pupils showcased their leadership potential and competed for various positions of responsibility ranging from head boy and head girl to class prefects within the school community and later the successful candidates swore in. The event not only highlighted the democratic process within the school but also underscored the significance of nurturing leadership skills among children from a tender age.

At Ubuntu Model Primary School, the emphasis on leadership goes beyond just holding positions of authority; it is about cultivating qualities such as empathy, integrity, and resilience among others.

“Providing opportunities for pupils to take on leadership roles, the school empowers them to become confident, responsible, and empathetic individuals who are capable of making meaningful contributions to society.” Agnes Nambooze, Ubuntu Model Primary School Head Teacher.

GRI officials graced the swearing-in ceremony and with much pleasure congratulated, welcomed and encouraged the new and pioneer prefectural body to work closely with school administration for a better Ubuntu Model P/S

Today, we celebrate the incredible achievements and contributions of women around the world. Lets continue to work towards a more gender-equal society, where every woman and girl has the opportunity to thrive and fulfil their potential.

In Kiryandongo settlement, water scarcity poses a significant challenge, especially for production facilities. However, through collaborative efforts, we have seen a positive change.

Global Refugee Initiatives is proud to support 7 Village Savings and Loans Association VSLA farmer groups comprising 120+ members in Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement. With assistance from Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Self-Help Africa, we have installed a shallow well and a solar pump, ensuring access to water for production even during the dry season.

But our commitment doesn’t stop there. We have established a Water User Committee, with 50% female representation, to ensure effective governance of this precious resource. Their responsibilities include setting up by-laws to guide usage, collecting maintenance contributions from the facility users, and managing a maintenance fund for long-term sustainability.

Join us in overcoming water challenges in Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement. Together, we can make a difference.

Streets bustling with children heading to Ubuntu Model Primary School, part of GRI’s education project in Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement. Our team ensures inclusive, quality education for refugee, IDP, and host community kids.

Excitement fills the air as children reunite with friends after two months. With dedicated staff and engaging activities, learning is in full swing! Afternoons are packed with games, sports, and drama to boost intellectual and social skills.

We’re proud to collaborate with parents, teachers, and partners to nurture these young minds. Our recent PTA meeting saw over 80% participation-a testament to our strong community bond. Together, we’re shaping a brighter future for these children.

Please join us in supporting the cause by making a donation through the link

Due to the ongoing conflict in Sudan since April 2023, nearly 6.2 million people have been displaced inside and outside Sudan, which currently makes it the largest protection crisis in the region. As the conflict parties violated various ceasefires and are not willing to enter peace agreements, more Sudanese are expected to flee out of the country this year. Given that Sudan is a refugee hosting country itself it is most likely that the ongoing conflict will also lead to the secondary displacement of refugees in Sudan.

The displacement of such large numbers of people has major implications on Sudan’s five neighbouring countries, the Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, and South Sudan, as they receive most of those seeking safety. However, some of these countries struggle with internal conflicts themselves and the resources for the humanitarian assistance of the ones in need are limited.

Nevertheless, to ensure life-saving assistance and the access to basic services and protection, UN-OCHA and UNHCR launched the Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRP) on the 7th of February 2024. With its four strategic objectives, the 2024 RRP guides all involved stakeholders in the provision of assistance – find out more here.

Although Uganda is not an immediate neighbor to Sudan, it offered its support by accommodating Sudanese refugees. In December 2023, Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement, where GRI implements its programs, received approximately 1500 new arrivals from Sudan. More were on the journey. Our Board Member, Mary Akugizibwe was there and met some of the newly welcomed families. Today, she shares her insights with us:

“I visited Kiryandongo refugee settlement in Uganda 2 days after Christmas and met incredible Sudanese families facing unimaginable challenges. New-borns with no proper clothing, mothers going hungry, a severe lack of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, kids eager to go back to school in 2024 but there aren’t enough schools, the few available health facilities are congested – the struggle is real.

While celebrations filled the air elsewhere during the Christmas season, for the Sudanese refugees, it was a time marked by misery and hardship

I spoke with Amina, a new mom of twins, living in a makeshift tent offered by UNHCR with her husband Samir, she had given birth 3 months before while at the Reception Centre at the border with Uganda and South Sudan. She was worried whether her newly born twins would survive these hard conditions.

There is an urgent need for humanitarian aid.

The challenges faced by these Sudanese refugees in Uganda are immense, and local NGOs like Global Refugee Initiatives (GRI) play a critical role in meeting such immediate needs.”

We call upon everyone to support GRI as one of the implementing partners addressing this crisis.

This week we officially launched our game-based learning activities at Ubuntu Model Primary School. During school holidays as well as during regular lessons, our learners get the opportunity to enhance their learning experience by playing games such as the 5-STAZ developed by My Home Stars, Scrabble and others.

Why use games to teach? The instructive and fun board game activities complement the national curriculum and facilitate learning for children who struggle with conventional teaching methods. Research shows that using games in teaching can help increase student participation and foster social and emotional learning. The positive social encounters strengthen the children’s self-confidence and improve their psycho-social well-being. Moreover, the playing sessions serve as a platform to create bonds of friendship, build trust and solidarity amongst each other.

During your education, did you get the chance to learn through games? What is your experience with game-based learning? Share your comments with us.

Also, if you wish to support our education program please visit our donation page or reach out to us via: info@griuganda.org