Partner involvement is a key element in the implementation of a complex program like tree-based environmental promotion.

This evening, July 8, 2026, we were honored by a visit to our tree seedling production site from the UNHCR—represented by Charles M., the Livelihoods Officer for the Rwamwanja Refugee Settlement, Uganda.

This micro-project is funded by the GWBF (Global Whole-being Fund) refugee community support fund in partnership with Cohere; it has successfully distributed over 30,000 seedlings to residents from April to June Exercise, thereby promoting environmental health and providing access to fruit to help improve their nutrition, as well as enhanced their awareness and engagement in environmental sustainability.

Regenerative Agriculture: A Promising Solution for Improved Soil Health, Food Security, and Socioeconomic Development in Rwamwanja, Uganda

Faced with soil insecurity caused by the increasing number of refugees, the scarcity of arable land, and soil infertility—current and growing problems exacerbating food shortages in impoverished Ugandan refugee-hosting regions—AFID, since 2021, has focused its efforts not only on the productivity and production of smallholder farmers and their overall socioeconomic situation, but also on integrating practical soil regeneration skills.

This approach transforms traditional community agriculture using proven, practical, and low-cost local farming techniques to regenerate soils, improve productivity, and contribute to the socioeconomic well-being of refugee populations.

More Formal Market to over 300 corn producers in Rwamwanja Refugee Settlement and nearby host communities

With support of Challenge Fund for Youth Employment through Opportunity International and Cohere, AFID implements a 12 months project as expansion to principal project entitled AGRI-BUSINESS FOR YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AND SELF-RELIANCE that started in 2023. The expansion project implemented jointly with Cohere, aims to provide over 250 farmers with practical knowledge in maize production and help increase their market power. Following a highly successful agricultural season, during which they also received material support and improved seeds, AFID connects these maize-producing beneficiaries with TURACO and other buyers to give them access to a more formal market and reasonable pricing. So far, this activity has already enabled over 100 producers to sell more than 50 tons of dried maize and of better quality.

When women are educated, society benefits.

Our literacy program for disadvantaged women and girls operates thanks to the efforts of volunteers, which keeps the number of participants small, while the demand in villages continues to grow. This year, instead of more than 200 expressions of need, the program retained only 40 who successfully completed the course and acquired writing, reading, arithmetic, and numeracy skills.

There can be no comprehensive development without women's education.

Start, in one way or another, by supporting literacy programs.

Women's education is the key to all development.

Meeting the Communities we Work with: An Efficient Way to Solve their Problems

Through community dialogue meetings, AFID and sister RLOs members of the RELIVE-I consortium understand the real and most pressing needs of the community. This is the largest means our beneficiaries' needs-based approach uses to solve their problems.

Need-based approach must start with community dialogue meetings. These meetings also serve to prioritize needs, and at the end of all contribute in evaluation of impact of outcomes. AFID keeps holding quarterly meetings thereof. From the later where around 90 persons attend, our actions are graded by the beneficiary communities and several recommendations are collected from them.

Making agriculture work for everyone, and especially refugee youth to make revenues.

Good results have been obtained under our program focused on improving agricultural incomes and food diversification. For these refugee eggplant producers more than 500 kg produced in only 3 harvests.

As part of a community reading program being co-implemented with Ark Network, refugee children from Rwamwanja in Uganda are brought together during school holidays to improve their communication and literacy skills. Guided discussions, Reading and Storytelling sessions complement these activities. At least 36 children attend this event in one village.

In partnership with Ark Network Rwamwanja, a sister refugee-led organization and a human rights and advocacy movement, AFID co-implements a community reading program for refugee children (ages 12-16) in and out of school at the Rwamwanja Refugee Settlement in Uganda. The program runs throughout the school year and during school holidays. Through reading, storytelling, and guided discussions, the children improve their reading and communication skills. More than 300 children (200 girls and 100 boys), including 250 out-of-school refugee children and 50 enrolled refugee children, benefit from the program.