Uganda: Key challenges

Farming again, after 20 years of war

The conflict in Northern Uganda caused the long suffering population to be torn apart and suffer severe psychological trauma. During two decades of conflict, more than 25,000 children were abducted and used as child soldiers, luggage-carriers or child brides.

Mothers lost sons, brothers lost sisters and the majority of people witnessed torture and killing – to escape this, around 90% of the population had to live in crowded, anti-social camps, and became reliant on food aid.

But now, early hopes of peace have seen people determinedly returning home, wanting to plant, grow, and eat their own food again.

As the north is green and lush – once known as the “bread-basket of Uganda” - the potential for self-sufficiency is great. The challenge is how to support people to help themselves out of dependency and back on their feet again.

We provide seeds, tools, and training, supporting communities to farm again. This work also fosters the reintegration of formerly abducted people such as Aciro Margaret (pictured) back into the community.

Perhaps most significantly, providing for themselves again is helping people cope with the traumatic events of their past and giving them hope for the future.

The neglected eastern drylands

Despite the north being engaged in conflict for two decades, the poorest area in Uganda is actually the dry east - the Karamoja region is affected by drought, conflict, and neglect from the government.

As hard-working families run out of coping strategies, the pressure is seen as child labour and street children in the towns grow and young men turn to cattle-rustling.

We work on reducing conflict, improving basic needs, emergency feeding during drought, and advocacy for better attention from the government for this part of Uganda.

Leading the way on HIV work

The Franciscan Sisters at Nsambya Hospital, Kampala, and the Medical Missionaries of Mary (MMMs) in Kitovu Hospital, Masaka were trailblazers for our global HIV and AIDS work - and we still walk in solidarity with them today.

From humble roots, Kitovu now has 750 voluntary workers - in 2007, these made 33,000 visits to sick and needy families, providing ARV medicines, palliative care, basic first aid, and hygiene, HIV and malaria advice.

Thanks to this work, Uganda saw one of the biggest drops in HIV rates in the world - but complacency has caused that figure to rise again.

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