Uganda

Cordaid has been active in Uganda for over 26 years. Our programmes focus on humanitarian assistance, sustainable agri-food systems, health care, and education.

Uganda is a young country. About 78% of the population is below the age of 30. However, this enormous potential remains vastly underutilised. The high poverty rates are primarily a rural phenomenon, where large families rely on farming as their primary source of income.

Many young people have migrated from rural to urban areas, which has put a strain on the nation’s educational system and labour markets. Safety and health issues, like teenage pregnancies and sexual and gender-based violence, are also common issues.

SOME OF OUR KEY RESULTS

WHAT WE DO IN UGANDA

Agricultural Governance Results Improvement Project (A-GRIP) 
In May 2023, Cordaid conducted comprehensive research to understand better the complex agri-food and land tenure challenges faced by smallholder farmers, which hinder the extension of essential services.

The findings informed the design of the Agricultural Governance Results Improvement Project (A-GRIP), a five-year initiative that started on November 1, 2023. A-GRIP is funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Uganda and aims to improve food production and income by enhancing public service delivery in agricultural and land tenure security.

The project’s overarching goal is to create strengthened, secure, and resilient farming systems through increased accessibility, availability, and quality of land tenure and agricultural services in 16 selected districts of the Busoga, Elgon, Kigezi, Lango, and Rwenzori regions in Uganda.

A-GRIP employs the principle of results-based financing (RBF). This approach seeks to enhance existing government systems by offering financial incentives based on the performance of contracted parties against agreed-upon indicators with precise, predefined results and outputs. 

Healthy and Empowered Youth for Healthy, Productive, and Resilient Communities in Rural Uganda (HEYO)
This project is located in northern Uganda, an area that has historically been plagued by conflict, insurgency, and social unrest. The proximity to South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo has exacerbated the situation, with refugee movements doubling the population in some cases and further straining already scarce resources.

The HEYO project targets four communities in the districts of Terego and Yumbe, two of the poorest districts in Uganda, with weak health systems and limited access to sexual and reproductive health services and information. Especially in refugee communities, sexual violence, HIV infections, and cultural practices promoting child marriages and teenage pregnancies are prevalent.  

The population in these districts is very young (almost 70% is under 25 years old) and is inadequately served by the healthcare system. In response, the HEYO project employs a peer-to-peer approach, empowering young people as champions and ambassadors to promote sexual and reproductive awareness and services and address the unique challenges faced by their peers.

Highflyers
The Highflyers programme focuses on offering support to underserved ‘high-flying’ young entrepreneurs to grow and scale their businesses. Highflyers are defined as young entrepreneurs aged 18 to 35 who are running a business and want it to grow.

The support we offer includes training on business development, specialised skills support, mentoring, and guidance in gaining access to finance.

In partnership with YBI, Cordaid tracks the progress of the participating high-flyers over two years to evaluate the impact of the support and identify additional barriers and needs. Based on these insights, we make recommendations to support over fifty Highflyers and create new jobs for their fellow youth.

Making Health Systems Work for Adolescents and Youth
The Making Health Systems Work for Young People in Uganda (also known as the E-Voucher project) aims to promote adolescent sexual health by providing services and information. It combines six modular interventions: adolescent sexual reproductive health and rights, health system strengthening, results-based financing, comprehensive sexuality education, data analytics, and mental health and psychosocial support.

The E-Voucher Project in Uganda expands the initial vouchers for services related to sexual and gender-based violence with two new mechanisms: a transport voucher that partners with local (motor)taxi drivers to reduce access barriers for rural patients, and a voucher for timely access to maternal and reproductive health services. Together, these vouchers enhance healthcare access, foster trust in community health teams, and improve outcomes for youth, women, and people in vulnerable positions.

HEROES 4 Gender Transformative Action
The HEROES intervention takes place in low-income rural areas, covering nine districts, through a consortium comprising four partners: Cordaid, Mifumi, Amref Health Africa, and the International Centre for Research on Women. Cordaid leads the project and implements results-based financing in 18 health facilities.

With support from the Embassy of Iceland in Uganda, the initiative also focuses on improving access to sexual and reproductive health and rights and sexual and gender-based violence services, with a specific emphasis on cervical cancer screening, treatment, and HPV vaccination. The programme prioritises youths and women of reproductive age, with special attention to persons with disabilities and fishing communities, ensuring these groups receive comprehensive care.

Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Services for All
The objective of the project was to ensure that the refugees and host communities in the Kyangwali refugee settlement have improved and sustainable access to sufficient clean water supply, and sanitation by the end of 2022. 

The project has been responding to a refugee crisis in the western part of Uganda, and the intervention reached 8,870 people.

The project has made significant contributions in an effort to achieve the UN standard of 20 litres per person per day through the construction of a solar motorised water supply system.

Waste to Clean Air Circular Loop (closed project)
In partnership with Muni University, Wageningen University and Research, SEMiLLA Sanitation, SkillEd and Caritas Arua, Cordaid implements the Waste to Clean Energy project. It addresses the need for sanitation and affordable, sustainable energy. It aims to increase access to renewable energy for refugees and host populations residing in and around the Imvepi refugee settlement.

The project will achieve this through the construction of a waste treatment plant that will convert the faecal sludge of 15,000 inhabitants into approximately 90 cubic meters (equivalent to the volume of a one-car garage) of methane gas daily.

When completed and fully operational, the project will increase employment opportunities for youth by providing labour for operating and maintaining the treatment plant, as well as selling biogas, compost, and tree seedlings.

It will also decrease groundwater pollution caused by pit latrines, reduce health risks associated with air pollution from cooking with firewood, decrease the walking distance in search of energy sources, and reduce conflicts over wood between refugees and host communities.

In the long run, the project will improve the local food system, environment and local economy.

Skilling in Agripreneurship for Increased Youth Employment (closed project)
In 2017, Cordaid, in partnership with ZOA and War Child Holland, embarked on a bold initiative to enhance agri-business skills for youth in West Nile. The region accommodates a high number of refugees.

Many of them are young people who remain unemployed and need skills, competencies, and work experience to facilitate their employment in the agri-business sector. In partnership with AVSI, Cordaid introduced the Skilling in Agripreneurship for Increased Youth Employment (SAY) project.

SAY supported 4,000 youth from both the refugee and host communities in the Bidibidi refugee settlement.

Inclusive Vocational Education for Entrepreneurship Perspectives in Agriculture (closed project)
Cordaid, in partnership with CINOP, concluded a community agriculture skilling project in December 2022, which prepares youths to start businesses in agriculture.

In West Nile, Cordaid strengthened the roles of four technical vocational education and training institutions by integrating them into crucial agricultural value chains. This resulted in enhanced training availability and quality, which increased practical knowledge and contributed to greater entrepreneurial success in the communities.

The project recognises access to formal vocational training centres for youth as a means to increase productivity in the business sector, while also equipping young people with the skills they need to secure stable employment and a higher income.

The Future Makers Youth Agribusiness project (closed project)
Cordaid, in partnership with Youth Business International, implements a two-year project aimed at supporting young entrepreneurs to revive, strengthen and build business resilience following the diverse effects of COVID-19.

The project targets 700 young entrepreneurs in Lira, Nebbi and Zombo districts. The businesses include direct farming, value addition, agricultural transportation, agricultural produce and trade, and input shops. In Zombo, we focus on the coffee value chain. The project is part of the Future Makers global initiative to tackle inequality by promoting greater economic inclusion for disadvantaged young people, funded by Standard Chartered Bank.  

Youth-Led COVID-19 Response (closed project)
In November 2022, Cordaid concluded the implementation of a healthcare project in the West Nile region of Uganda. The Youth-Led COVID-19 Response complements interventions implemented by Uganda’s Ministry of Health and other partners in responding to the pandemic, sexual and gender-based violence, mental health challenges, and its imminent effects.

The project integrated access to essential sexual and reproductive health and rights services, as well as mental health and psychosocial support, into the COVID-19 response in the districts of Arua, Terego, and Adjumani.

WHERE WE WORK IN UGANDA

In the Central, North and West Nile regions and Arua District, we support low-income farmers and producer organisations to increase economic opportunities, improve and sustain their livelihoods.

In eastern Uganda, Cordaid implements systems-strengthening projects to ensure equitable access to quality basic healthcare and education services in the districts of Kamuli, Bukwo, Budaka, Namayingo, Iganga, and Kalangala. In northern Uganda, the projects are implemented in the districts of Arua, Terego, Adjumani, and Yumbe.

In the districts of Bugiri, Mayuge, Iganga, and Namayingo, as well as Mbale, Budaka, Bukwo, and Kween, and in Central Uganda, including Kalangala, we work on sexual and reproductive health and rights.

A-GRIP is implemented in 16 districts across five regions: Elgon region (Kapchorwa, Bulambuli, Bududa, Mbale), Busoga region (Buyende, Kamuli), Lango region (Alebtong, Lira), Western region (Bunyangabu, Kabarole, Kyenjojo, Kamwenge), South Western region (Rubanda, Kisoro, Rukiga, Kabale).

The WeWork project is implemented in Yumbe, Terego, Arua, Kamuli and Jinja.

PARTNERS AND DONORS

Cordaid works in Uganda with both national and international partners, including the Ugandan ministries, AVSI, SRHR Alliance, Gesundes Afrika, Amref Health Afrika Uganda, TVET Institutes, RUFI, Enterprise Uganda, IUCN, ZOA, War Child NL, Rikolto Mezzanine, Nilecom, MFIs, SACCOS, NIRAS, PELUM, Caritas​, Enabel, Care and Empowerment of the Vulnerable in Action, Rikolto, Caritas Arua Diocese, and CINOP.

Recent donors include the World Bank, Global Gateway, the Embassy of Iceland, DFID, UNICEF, Gesundes Afrika, Dutch MFA, Dutch Embassy, DRA, Youth Business International, UNCDF, DFCD, Standard Chartered Foundation, IUCN, GIZ, Bread for the World, Global March Against Child Labour and WFP.

CONTACT

Address
Plot 12B, Faraday Road
Bugolobi, Nakawa Division
Next to MUBS Annex Bugolobi
Kampala
Uganda

The Uganda office is the seat of our East and South Africa Cluster.

Country Manager and Director of the East and South Africa Cluster
Heleen van der Beek
Email: [email protected]

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