Uganda hosts close to 980,000 South Sudan refugees, with a daily arrival rate of 2,000 with peaks of 7,000 in December 2016. Imvepi settlement in Arua district hosts 110,000 South Sudan refugees. As Imvepi is being closed to new arrivals, the response is moving from provision of temporary to semi-permanent shelter. Persons with specific needs (PSN) are in urgent need of shelter to protect their health and wellbeing and increase their resilience to risks, including Gender Based Violence (GBV) risks. They often lack the physical strength and/or psychosocial resilience to build their own shelter, and thus require prioritization and additional support. Continuously high arrival rates from South Sudan negatively impact the livelihoods of both refugees and local population. Many struggle to generate income to complement food rations and yield of small plots provided by the Government of Uganda, exacerbated by poor soil conditions. Youth are particularly vulnerable to protection risks related to their socio-economic situation and age, including sexual exploitation, early marriage, and forced recruitment. As displacement is prolonged, risks of inter-community tensions, and conflict over access to resources, increase, with first incidents already reported from Imvepi.

Expected Results & Activities

ER1: South Sudanese PSN have increased access to improved shelters (new gender appropriate, safe, dignified semi-permanent shelters, including latrines & repaired temporary and semi-temporary shelters).

• Identify refugee PSN
• Recruit and train shelter volunteers
• Identify & train construction work providers & linking with vocational training graduates
• Construct new semi-permanent shelter, with latrines
• Conduct hygiene promotion for 6 Repair and maintenance of 600 shelters
• Follow-up with shelter beneficiaries.

ER2: Most at-risk refugee and host community youth, with specific attention to girls, are supported to strengthen their livelihoods base, thereby reducing vulnerability to protection risks including GBV.

• Develop curriculum for business and life-skills training of trainers
• Rapid mapping of skills/capacities and local business opportunities
• Participatory selection of youth entrepreneur trainers
• Train youth trainers on business training, life-skills training and facilitation skills
• Participatory selection of business training participants
• Construct & equip permanent job centre
• Provide business skills and financial literacy training
• Provide vocational training through job placements/job centre
• Provide start-up capital for IGA/business
• Provide follow-up support.

ER3: 540 most at risk youth from South Sudan refugee and host community are provided with the skills to manage their lives and livelihoods more independently, with reduced risk of exploitation & abuse.

• Provide life-skills training to youth
• Provide accelerated training on Role Model Men approach to 10 male youth trainers
• Support youth trainers to train and mentor male youth as „Role Model Men&Boys“
• Train girls on their right to a life free from violence.

Participants

The project will directly target 4,905 South Sudanese refugees and host community members in Uganda:

• 4,345 South Sudanese refugee PSN household members with improved shelter conditions.
• 560 South Sudanese refugee (70%) and host community (30%) youth receiving livelihood support, enhancing their protection (including from GBV) and community relations.

The project will indirectly target 10,342 South Sudanese refugees and host community members (some benefit from both):

• 6,402 family members of refugee and host community youth participating in the business development skills program and livelihood activities and individuals benefiting from business multiplier effect.
• 7,300 members of the refugee and host communities who benefit from enhanced protection from GBV risks.