Northern Uganda
Why are we working here?
Northern Uganda is now rebuilding after 22 years of horrific conflict between the government and rebels of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).
During the conflict:
· 1.7 million people (80% of the population), according to the UN, were displaced, becoming refugees in their own land and forced into Internally Displaced Peoples’ (IDP) Camps.
· Over 25,000 children were abducted by rebels since 1986. Boys were forced into becoming soldiers, killing and maiming families within their own communities. Girls were abducted and sexually abused, forced into serving as wives for rebels and soldiers alike, resulting in a high proportion of child mothers.
· Thousands of people had to flee their farms, businesses and natural resources to move to the camps, forcing the population to become entirely dependent on the government and aid from outside organisations.
Peace arrived in 2005, allowing the people of Northern Uganda to start to rebuild their lives with the help of government and non government agencies. Post conflict, the region still faces many challenges and is in need of:
· Rebuilding its education system – in terms of infrastructure and resources. With a population growth rate in Uganda of 3.4%, one of the highest in Africa, the consequences of a 20 year standstill has left the region in great need of school buildings, teachers and resources.
· Empowering its people and rebuilding skills, particularly amongst young people, in agriculture and traditional livelihoods projects.
· Re-establishing the traditional values and social structure of the community. This was lost during the 22 year insurgency within the IDP camps. With more and more people moving back to their homes in the villages, communities need to learn how to function in such an environment. With around half the population being under 18 years, most do not know life outside of IDP camps.
What do we do?
African Revival currently works within two main programme areas - Education and Livelihoods
Education
Twenty years of conflict have put education in Northern Uganda considerably further behind other parts of Uganda. Starting from our initial work Grace Christian Academy (GCA) in Gulu, we link schools in Northern Uganda and the UK and assist them in developing shared curriculum activities, and to establish long term relationships. Our Focal Schools programme provides buildings and resources as well as support and motivation for teachers to improve standards in the school over 3-5 years. We also assist schools with providing safe water and adequate sanitation as well as helping them to build their relationship with the community.
Livelihoods
Over 90% of the population of Northern Uganda is considered to be agriculturalists, yet with over 20 years of living in IDP camps where farming was not possible, many people now lack the basic skills they need to sustain themselves and their families. African Revival is helping to address this situation through a bee-keeping programme which supports individual farmers and the local bee-keeping organisation. Additionally, we are working alongside schools to enable them to use income generating activities such as farming to supplement government funding and parental contributions.