Since 2022, Oxfam in Uganda and War Child Canada, in collaboration with Community Empowerment for Creative Innovation (CECI), the Youth Social Advocacy Team (YSAT), and the Refugee-Led Organizations Network (RELON), have been implementing the Geared for Success (GFS) project in West Nile.

This €1,783,604 initiative, funded by GAC, aims to empower out-of-school youth and enhance educational opportunities in refugee and host communities.

During a recent visit to Uganda, Nathalie Garon, the Deputy Director of Education Programming at Global Affairs Canada (GAC), and Steve Ashby, the Director of International Development at War Child Canada, visited various locations to assess the progress of the project.. 

With the continued influx of refugees due to conflicts in neighbouring countries like DRC and South Sudan, there has been a considerable strain on local infrastructure limits access to social services in the district. Despite the challenges, the district leadership commended the Canadian government for the GFS Project, which has aided out-of-school youth in returning to education.

The team visited Highland Secondary School, in Yumbe district, where out-of-school adolescent girls have been encouraged to go back to school, leading to an improvement in student enrolment which has risen by 21%.

The program has led to an increase in capacity building of Refugee-Led Organizations (RLOs) which have successfully registered, created policies, and enhanced the skills of their staff. 

The project provided six scholarships for RLO staff members to pursue professional accounting and project management courses, strengthening their capabilities to manage their organizations effectively. RELON and OXFAM have focused on supporting women's career growth, particularly in leadership and confidence regarding work opportunities.

‘This scholarship has significantly improved my project management skills, boosting my confidence as a development worker. I am now more effective in planning and organizing my activities with clearer direction,’ stated Dina Nubuhoro, a Project Officer at RELON, currently pursuing a Postgraduate Diploma in Project Planning and Management.

The team also visited Yoyo Secondary School, where students held a mock Parliament debating a paper on gender equality. 

Students at Yoyo Secondary School Perform During a Mock Debate

Students present during a Mock parliamentary debate at Yoyo secondary School.

This spirited session underscored the project's impact in supporting schools and encouraging student-led advocacy efforts.

‘Since engaging in this Parliament, I’ve acquired extensive knowledge on many current issues, which I never thought I could comprehend. I now feel confident expressing my views and believe I can effectively advocate for my rights as a young girl.’ Said Saviour Opani, a S.4 Student at Yoyo Secondary School

The team also visited YETA, an RLO within the RELON network that has created a ‘safe space’ for female employees. This space aims to provide women with a place to rest during menstruation, as a resting area for pregnant women, and a facility for breastfeeding mothers which also functions also functions as a counselling room.

At Awa Primary School, the team distributed dignity kits to female learners to ensure female students can continue their education without interruptions during menstruation. At YSAT offices, they learned about the improved staff capacities and introduction of a safe space for female staff due to the project interventions. 

Under the GFS project, War Child Canada, and Oxfam are facilitating and providing technical and financial resources to strengthen their capacity of Community Based Organisations -with more women’s leadership and community support, allowing them to enable access to education and to successfully advocate for the right to education for communities in Terego, Obongi and Yumbe.