Netherlands’ Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Visits Nakivale Refugee Settlement
Nakivale Refugee Settlement, Isingiro District | 21 October 2024
UMOJA for Peace and Resilience joined partners in welcoming the Netherlands’ Minister of Foreign Trade and Development, Reinette Klever, during her official visit to Nakivale Refugee Settlement, where she witnessed firsthand the impact of the PROSPECTS Partnership in advancing inclusion, resilience, and self-reliance among young refugees.
The visit formed part of the Minister’s inaugural mission to Uganda and provided an opportunity to engage directly with refugee and host-community youth benefiting from skills development and social innovation initiatives implemented under PROSPECTS.
Engaging with Young Social Innovators under i-UPSHIFT
During the visit, the Minister interacted with young social innovators trained through the i-UPSHIFT social innovation programme, where UMOJA has been actively supporting youth engagement, community-based innovation, and the scaling of locally driven solutions. The young innovators presented practical solutions addressing challenges such as access to finance, employment, and environmental sustainability within Nakivale Refugee Settlement.
Through i-UPSHIFT, young refugees acquire problem-solving, innovation, and entrepreneurship skills, enabling them to design and implement solutions that respond directly to the needs of their communities. The interaction highlighted how youth-led innovation can play a critical role in strengthening self-reliance and local economic participation.
Opening of the Rubondo Community Center
As part of the visit, the Minister officially opened the Rubondo Community Center, a key community asset established to provide a safe and inclusive space for learning, innovation, and community engagement. The center will support continued implementation of education, skills development, and social innovation activities for both refugees and host-community members.
Strengthening Education and Skills Pathways
The delegation also learned about complementary initiatives under PROSPECTS, including alternative education and skills pathways that enable young people to transition from learning to earning. Partners emphasized the importance of institutionalizing innovative skills training approaches, such as i-UPSHIFT, to ensure long-term sustainability and national recognition.
Notably, i-UPSHIFT has been certified as a modular training course by Uganda’s Directorate of Industrial Training, enabling graduates to receive nationally recognized qualifications as Social Innovators.
A Strong Partnership for Refugee Inclusion
The visit was attended by senior representatives from UNICEF Uganda, UNHCR, International Labour Organization, the Government of Uganda, and other PROSPECTS partners, underscoring the strength of multi-agency collaboration in supporting refugee inclusion and resilience.
UMOJA’s Commitment
UMOJA for Peace and Resilience remains committed to working with partners to empower young refugees through social innovation, skills development, and community-led solutions. The Minister’s visit reaffirmed the importance of investing in youth as agents of change and scaling proven approaches that enable refugees to contribute meaningfully to inclusive and resilient communities.