After several years of experience working in Uganda, our current partnerships with PLAN International and UNHCR are focusing on children’s rights, education and WASH activities within the ongoing Covid-19 response.  As one of the world’s least developed country, Uganda hosts more than 1,4 million refugees from South Sudan, Burundi, Kongo-Kinshasa and other nearby countries affected by conflicts. The situation is causing disastrous humanitarian and environmental consequences, and the high levels of scarcity for energy, water and food is causing further tension and conflicts between host communities and refugee families. 

In some regions, trees and bushes are almost completely absent – partly due to high dependence on fuelwood. To prepare and cook food, women walk great distances to collect fuelwood to light a small fire. Few have the time and energy to collect and carry enough to also boil water clean, or heat it for hygiene. For these reasons, waterborne and hygiene-related diseases, as well as respiratory diseases and skin and eye-infections, are some of the most common reasons why people visit the health clinics.