Three classroom blocks, demonstration farm constructed at Palorinya Refugee Camp

OBONGI - ChildFund Uganda, in collaboration with other partners, has constructed two classroom blocks and renovated school buildings in the Palorinya Refugee Settlement in Obongi district.

Funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), ChildFund has also commissioned a modern demonstration farm as part of the three-year sh7.5b ($2m) Integrated Livelihood, Education and Protection (ILEAP) project, which is intended to enhance the well-being of children and their families in the refugee settlement.

The Settlement was re-established in December 2016 following the influx of refugees from South Sudan and currently hosts over 142,000 refugees, with children constituting up to 53% of the population.

The KOICA country director, Ahn Jihee, said that they would remain committed to maintaining their partnership and continued engagements in the West Nile region which has hosted large numbers of refugees. (All Photos by Eddie Ssejjoba)

Radwa El Manssy, the ChildFund International humanitarian director, with parents at Salvation ECD Centre.

The KOICA country director, Ahn Jihee, ChildFund Uganda country director, Titus Tumusiime, UNHCR head of the field office, Jelvas Musau, and Radwa el Manssy, the ChildFund international humanitarian director, were among the guests who attended the commissioning of the buildings on March 12, 2026.

The function was also attended by the Resident District Commissioner, Samuel Mpimbaza Hashaka and his assistant, Habiba Umuhoza, the LC5 secretary for education, Michael Azubu and the Chief Administrative Officer, Job Tabu, parents and other officials.     

The leaders commended ChildFund for the support in the education of vulnerable children, especially since the settlement has been facing challenges in early childhood education, with a caregiver-to-learner ratio standing at 1:87, coupled with overcrowded classrooms at 1:230. The ratios far exceed the national standard of 1:25.

Titus Tumusiime, the ChildFund Country director, remarks.

On behalf of ChildFund Uganda, Tumsuiime commended the partnership with KOICA, ChorogUsan for Children and Good Farmers to serve the communities, who, he said, despite their resilience, still face enormous challenges, including overcrowded classrooms and high caregiver-to-learner ratios.

He said these limit access to quality early childhood education. In addition, he explained, livelihood opportunities were scarce, with fragile food security and limited access to arable land.   

Tumusiime commended KOICA for the support and their partners, who include ChorogUsan for Children (ChildFund Korea) and Good Farmers for enabling them to implement the project. 

“Recent reductions in humanitarian funding and declining food rations have made it even more difficult for families to meet their basic needs. These realities compel us to work harder to implement self-reliant initiatives that strengthen both refugee and host communities, enabling them to sustainably provide for their families,” he noted.

Tumusiime, however, said in collaboration with other partners, they had constructed a three-classroom block with an office and a five-stance latrine at Sacred Heart ECD Centre, which will benefit 579 children, including 16 nationals.  

Another two-classroom block has also been constructed at Salvation ECD Centre that accommodates 253 children, including 16 nationals who were studying under a tree. ChildFund has also renovated classrooms at the same school and at Sinai ECD Centre with 400 children.  

In addition, Tumusiime explained, the organisation has established a modern central farm at Morobi North for poultry and goat rearing. The farm will provide practical training, offer improved access to productive assets and enhanced nutrition to both refugee and host communities and support 175 farmer groups.  

By linking education with livelihood opportunities, Tumusiime explained, the interventions would support families to become self-reliant, build resilience and break cycles of poverty while fostering a sense of hope and opportunity for the future.

“We are grateful to the Government of Uganda, Obongi District local government, UNHCR, KOICA, and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, as well as our partners, parents, and caregivers for the continued support, which demonstrates the power of partnership in transforming the lives of vulnerable children and communities,” Tumusiime explained.

On behalf of KOICA, Jihee said that they would remain committed to maintaining their partnership and continued engagements in West Nile region which has hosted large numbers of refugees.

She said their support for the project aimed at supporting families to become more resilient and to create opportunities for children to thrive and provide a safer and more supportive learning environment for children.

In addition, the central farm would enable refugees and host communities to learn improved farming practices, strengthen livelihoods and enhance household nutrition.

“Beyond infrastructure, this project represents our shared commitment to empowering communities, protecting children, and promoting peaceful co-existence between refugees and host communities,” Jihee explained.

RDC Hashaka applauded ChildFund for introducing the livelihood programme, which he said provided permanent solutions for the refugee homesteads to fend for themselves, where funding from development organisations was dwindling. 

He, however, appealed to the management to upgrade the established Early Childhood Development Centres (ECDCs) into primary schools to enable the over 611 children who graduate from the nursery section.

The RDC appealed to partners for more support for refugees by buying them tractors for large-scale cultivation to enable them to sustain themselves, saying the number of refugees in the district had increased to 142,095, with 319 asylum seekers.