Uganda’s Aid Crisis Deepens
By Darius Spearman (africanelements)
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Uganda’s Refugee Crisis
Uganda has long been a sanctuary for those fleeing conflict, making it a critical hub for humanitarian efforts. The nation hosts a significant refugee population, primarily from South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (downloads.hindawi.com). While earlier reports suggested figures around 1.9 million, more recent data indicate the number is closer to 1.4 million (downloads.hindawi.com). This slight discrepancy highlights the dynamic nature of refugee movements and the constant need for updated information.
The ongoing conflicts in South Sudan and Sudan continue to drive new arrivals daily, placing immense pressure on existing resources (theguardian.com). This influx, combined with reduced international support, has created a challenging situation for both refugees and the host communities that generously accommodate them. The humanitarian needs have quadrupled since 2015, yet donor funding has not kept pace (voxdev.org). This growing gap means that many vulnerable individuals are not receiving the assistance they desperately need.
Impact of Funding Cuts
The United States’ decision to significantly reduce its humanitarian contributions in 2025 has had far-reaching consequences (voxdev.org). Historically, the U.S. has been the largest humanitarian donor, accounting for nearly half of all public humanitarian funding and over a fifth of the UN’s budget (voxdev.org). This reduction has unfortunately led other donors to follow suit, exacerbating a global humanitarian funding crisis (voxdev.org).
The impact of these cuts is evident in the daily lives of refugees. For instance, the World Food Programme (WFP) announced a cut to food distribution for one million refugees in Uganda (theguardian.com). This means that one million refugees are now on the brink, with children facing starvation due to these international aid reductions (wvi.org). The withdrawal of funding has also forced organizations like the AVSI Foundation to abandon crucial projects, leaving local field officers without income and thousands of households without vital support for agricultural training, schooling, and small business development (theguardian.com).
Consequences for Communities
The funding cuts have created severe consequences for both refugees and their host communities. Families are struggling with reduced support, increased food insecurity, and higher land rental costs (theguardian.com). This has led to a rise in mental health and psychosocial challenges, surges in gender-based violence, and an increase in school drop-outs, child neglect, abandonment, and child labor (theguardian.com).
A particularly concerning issue is the link between childhood exposure to intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) and violence against children (VAC) in refugee settlements (conflictandhealth.biomedcentral.com). Studies in low- and middle-income countries show a clear association between witnessing IPVAW in childhood and experiencing VAC (conflictandhealth.biomedcentral.com). In Uganda, a study revealed that 26% of children who reported witnessing IPV also experienced violence during their childhood (conflictandhealth.biomedcentral.com). These statistics underscore the urgent need for sustained support to protect vulnerable populations.
Uganda's Refugee Population
Vacuum in Services
The absence of international humanitarian support has created a significant vacuum in the ecosystem of refugee settlements and host communities (theguardian.com). Essential services and livelihoods have been disrupted. For example, children and youth are abandoning schools in large numbers because they can no longer afford enrollment fees that were once subsidized (theguardian.com). This educational setback has long-term implications for their future and the region’s development.
Furthermore, small businesses that had plans for expansion through loans and microcredit initiatives have instead scaled back their operations (theguardian.com). The lack of humanitarian programming leaves young people idle, increasing their risks of recruitment, trafficking, or exploitation (theguardian.com). This creates a dangerous environment where vulnerability is exploited, further destabilizing communities already under immense strain.
Health Service Disruptions
The funding cuts have had direct and severe impacts on health services and supply chains, leading to tragic and preventable deaths. One heartbreaking example is that of a pregnant woman who miscarried due to her inability to treat malaria (theguardian.com). Antimalarials were not delivered to the camp’s clinic because the supply chain was interrupted by the freeze on international aid (theguardian.com). This incident highlights how even short interruptions in supplies can be fatal in areas where diseases spread rapidly (theguardian.com).
Although funding for life-saving aid partially resumed, the disruption left a heavy toll on beneficiaries of treatment for Ebola, HIV, and malaria (theguardian.com). The USAID office in Kampala is now closed, with debilitating consequences for the region (theguardian.com). During a temporary funding shortfall in 2022, refugee clinics in northern Uganda reported overcrowding, drug shortages, and increased mortality rates (joyforchildren.org). These impacts underscore the critical importance of consistent and reliable humanitarian aid.
Global Humanitarian Funding Gap
Long-Term Ramifications
The long-term ramifications of these policy shifts include potential power vacuums and a reorientation of Uganda’s international partnerships. Donor disengagement risks creating power vacuums ripe for instability (theguardian.com). This can lead to increased insecurity and make it more difficult to address humanitarian crises effectively. The absence of consistent external support forces nations to reconsider their alliances and strategies for survival.
Uganda may need to adjust to a new funding mechanism, potentially increasing its national budget for assistance (theguardian.com). This shift could also lead African countries to strengthen ties with other global powers like Russia, India, Iran, and China, which are perceived as more predictable and less “schizophrenic” in their foreign policy approaches (theguardian.com). This reorientation could have significant geopolitical implications for the continent.
Sustainable Development Models
Despite the immense challenges, successful models of sustainable development and community support exist when investments are consistent. The AVSI Foundation and UK Aid, for example, launched a new partnership to support the Uganda Refugee Response (avsi.org). This 18-month project aims to empower refugees to secure their own livelihoods by equipping participants with skills and resources, investing in sustainable livelihoods, and promoting market-led approaches (avsi.org).
The AVSI Foundation’s “Step – Transition from Emergency to Sustainable Development Program” also demonstrated significant success in improving socioeconomic stability for refugees and host communities (theguardian.com). This program increased the adoption of renewable technologies from 0% to 61%, including briquette production and energy-saving cooking solutions (theguardian.com). By the end of the initiative, 92% of families reported higher agricultural production through training, access to tools, and the establishment of backyard gardens (theguardian.com). These successes highlight the importance of sustained investment and holistic approaches.
Community-Led Solutions
The “Step” program also formed 24 production and marketing groups, fostering cooperation and income opportunities between refugees and host community members (theguardian.com). This collaborative approach strengthens community bonds and promotes self-reliance. Support systems for the most vulnerable were also strengthened, offering mental health, gender-based violence prevention, and legal assistance through community dialogues and legal clinics (theguardian.com).
A special focus was placed on pregnant adolescents, young women, and youth, with 80% showing positive behavioral change after receiving life skills training and mentorship (theguardian.com). These models, which are holistic, inclusive, and locally adapted, should guide future international efforts. They demonstrate that consistent investment yields tangible results, improving lives and fostering resilience within communities. Furthermore, “refugee-to-refugee humanitarianism,” where established refugees support newly arrived ones, plays a critical role in providing aid and resources (wilsoncenter.org). Faith actors and local communities also contribute significantly to helping refugees settle and access humanitarian aid and livelihood support services (downloads.hindawi.com). These grassroots efforts are crucial in filling the gaps left by reduced international funding.
Impact of Aid Programs
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Darius Spearman has been a professor of Black Studies at San Diego City College since 2007. He is the author of several books, including Between The Color Lines: A History of African Americans on the California Frontier Through 1890. You can visit Darius online at africanelements.org.
