Uganda

In 1907 pioneering tourist Winston Churchill called Uganda the ‘Pearl of Africa’.

Introduction

Devastated by 18 years of conflict, Northern Uganda is slowly but surely coming back to life. Villages are once again bustling with life as people return home from the Internally Displaced People's (IDP) camps that have been their homes for far too long.

The War

Northern Uganda was the centre of a brutal, two-decade insurgency by the Lord's Resistance Army (the LRA) a rebel group led by the infamous Joseph Kony.  The region saw 2 million people uprooted from their homes and tens of thousands kidnapped, mutilated or killed. Men, women and children fell victim to the most atrocious abuses.

During the conflict in Uganda:

• 1.7 million people (80% of the population) were forced into Internally Displaced Peoples' Camps.

• Over 25,000 children were abducted by rebels. Boys were forced into becoming soldiers. Girls were abducted and sexually abused, resulting in a high proportion of child mothers.

• Thousands of people had to flee their farms, businesses and natural resources, forcing the population to become entirely dependent on the government and aid from outside organisations.

African Revival Schools are located in the orange districts

Education in Northern Uganda

When peace arrived in 2006 the people of Northern Uganda started to rebuild their lives. But the effect on Uganda's schooling system has been disastrous. Schools have been ravaged and neglected due to the conflict. Children have been displaced, abused and traumatised.

For the returning families, aside from creating a livelihood for themselves, their number one priority is the re-establishment of the many primary schools. Due to persistent poverty levels, this is a massive undertaking for the government as resources are stretched. However, progress has been promising via partnerships between the Ministry of Education and international NGOs.

African Revival works with schools and communities to rebuild the capacity of schools now being relocated to their original sites after the conflict. In the last six years we have worked with many schools in Uganda, providing infrastructure, classroom resources, educational support and facilities. We currently work with over 30 schools, helping to create a thriving learning environment for children in Uganda.