Graduating from Poverty: A Key to refugee resilience- US Ambassador

From the wreckage of war and persecution, refugees are emerging with renewed strength as they unite to transform their futures.

At the Rwamwanja refugee settlement in Kamwenge district, both refugees and host community members are actively involved in small-scale businesses aimed at combating poverty and enhancing their livelihoods.

The Graduating to Resilience project, funded by USAID, has seen participants, many of whom are also engaged in farming, join savings groups that have collectively accumulated sh6.8b over seven years.

Uganda hosts approximately 1.7 million refugees across various settlements, with 83,942 of them primarily from the Democratic Republic of Congo residing in Rwamwanja Refugee Settlement.

US Ambassador to Uganda, William Popp, emphasized the importance of refugees moving beyond poverty to achieve self-reliance, which he believes is crucial for building lasting resilience.

He explained that while graduating from poverty doesn’t eliminate challenges, it equips refugees with the confidence and skills to handle future difficulties.

Ambassador Popp made these comments during the opening of a three-day marketplace event marking the conclusion of the seven-year USAID Graduating to Resilience project. The event took place at the Mestil Hotel in Kampala on Tuesday.

The project, implemented by the AVSI Foundation, Trickle Up, and the American Institutes for Research, has assisted 13,680 extremely poor refugee and Ugandan households in Kamwenge District to transition from food insecurity and fragile livelihoods to self-reliance and resilience.

Popp highlighted the critical role of women’s economic inclusion, noting that it enables them to better support their families and foster personal development.

“Normalising women’s participation in business and the economy not only builds profitability but also resilience,” he said, adding that 96% of the women in the program felt more confident about achieving their future goals for themselves and their families.

The Ambassador also applauded the progress made, with 96% of children in targeted households having enough to eat and 99% of households maintaining a balanced diet.

He stressed the importance of both acquiring skills for growing food and preparing it to maximize nutritional value.

Popp commended the Ugandan communities for their support of those affected by war and displacement. He indicated that the lessons learned from this approach could be applied to other refugee settlements and communities in Uganda and the broader region, including Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia, to promote greater self-reliance.

John Makoha, Country Representative for the AVSI Foundation, reported that as the project nears its end, they are celebrating the achievements of 13,680 refugee and host community households around Rwamwanja.

“80% of our targeted households have successfully graduated to resilience and self-reliance, surpassing our initial target of 75%,” he said.

Makoha highlighted significant impacts, including women diversifying their businesses, combating malnutrition, and improving access to quality education for children. He noted that more families now enjoy three balanced meals a day, and refugees have gained savings, shelter, strong social connections, and self-efficacy to face future challenges.

The marketplace event showcased the project’s journey over seven years, featuring a mix of tools, stories, materials, and lessons learned. Makoha described the market as a new beginning and called for continued growth and positive change within communities. “We hope that by sharing our experiences, we can contribute to generating practical knowledge and skills that will enhance program design, implementation, and monitoring,” he said.

Makoha also thanked USAID for its financial support and acknowledged the contributions of UNHCR, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), and the Kamwenge district local government.

Rita Larok, Chief of Party for the Graduating to Resilience Activity, explained that the programme that uses the Graduation Approach in its implementation offers a multi-sectoral approach to help beneficiaries acquire skills, build business plans, and improve their financial literacy. The initiative includes providing $300 to start or expand businesses and offering business coaching to foster necessary mindset changes.