PPDR Uganda

Meet Sarah

Sarah is a young displaced woman from Sudan who completed Human-Centered Design (HCD) training at PPDR under the Power Project.

For years Sarah was running her small baby shop selling pampers, wipes, sanitary pads, toiletries, and other essentials. However, the business was struggling. Profits were low, expenses were high, and she often experienced losses that affected her confidence and her dreams

When she joined the Power Project training, Sarah learned how to manage her finances, track profits and expenses, brand naming and confidently pitch her business ideas. Instead of seeing her challenges as failure, she began to see them as lessons for growth.

Today, Sarah runs her Kesa’s Baby Boutique with confidence and clarity, making informed decisions and building a more sustainable future for herself.

Using the skills gained through the training, she is now exploring additional income opportunities like juice making to strengthen her business.

Small beginnings can grow into meaningful impact.
NRC - Norwegian Refugee Council

Today, we had the honor of hosting NRC (Norwegian Refugee Council) together with European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations ECHO team, and partners creating an important space for dialogue on advocacy and access to essential services.

The discussion focused on the implementation of the ECHO funded project ( ICLA), what is happening on the ground what has been achieved, what gaps still exist, and what more needs to be done to ensure refugees and host communities can access critical services such as healthcare, education, legal support, and livelihoods.

A key highlight of the session was hearing directly from beneficiaries. Their testimonies reflected real experiences how access to better services in urban areas like Kampala influences movement from settlements, and how reduced food rations, limited land, and the search for employment continue to shape refugee decisions.

We also explored:
• The growing shift from settlements to urban areas in search of opportunities and better services
• The importance of community networks in supporting new arrivals
• The role of information sharing through local leaders and digital platforms like WhatsApp
• Sustainable approaches such as training community paralegals and empowering refugee leaders

One powerful takeaway is that sustainability begins with empowering communities with knowledge. When refugees understand their rights and available services, they become agents of change supporting one another and strengthening resilience within their communities.

These conversations are not just discussions they are steps toward building inclusive systems that work for both refugees and host communities.

Together, through partnership and community led solutions, we continue to move forward.