Changing the Way the World Supports Refugees

We are pleased to report that the Urban Refugees Incubation Program (URIP) in Uganda is in full swing. Under the leadership of our program manager, Jessica, we are collaborating directly with two refugee-led community organizations in Kampala: the Sudanese Women for Peace and Development Association (SWPDA) and the United South Sudanese Urban Refugees Community (USSURC).

The SWPDA, an organization led by refugee women which supports hundreds of refugee women and children in Kampala, completed the fundraising module of the training program in December, during which members were in invited to respond to a scholarship offer from Urban Refugees. With successful completion of this module, the SWPDA has been focused on financial management since the start of the new year, and our team is working with SWPDA leaders in managing the $5,000 scholarship funds, enabling refugee leaders to learn and implement financial management skills in real time.

In February, we began our third training module with the SWPDA, focused on building partnerships. This module will support leaders in developing mutually beneficial, long-term partnerships with relevant local stakeholders (international and local NGOs, municipalities, UN agencies etc.)

Meanwhile, our collaboration with the USSURC, an organization founded with the vision of gathering the South Sudanese community beyond political differences and improving the living standards of South Sudanese refugees in Uganda, began toward the end of 2019. The initial audit phase of our program, wherein the Urban Refugees team works directly with the organization’s leaders to gain a deeper understanding of the community’s needs, enables us to tailor the plan for our incubation project accordingly. With the audit phase complete, we moved into the formal training program at the start of the new year with a focus on fundraising. Similar to the process for the SWPDA, USSURC leaders were invited to complete a project proposal to receive a $5,000 scholarship from Urban Refugees. During this module, leaders learn how to complete written proposal, and are trained as well in public speaking with a focus on pitching their organization to a panel of potential funders and partners, building valuable fundraising skills in the process.

We look forward to sharing future updates as our respective projects continue to unfold. Until then, as always, our continued gratitude for your support of our work.