GiveDirectly Ugandan Refugees Program

About GiveDirectly Ugandan Refugees Program

With the ongoing and rapidly deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Sudan, we felt that May’s donation should go towards the refugees and displaced persons fleeing the conflict.

Prior to this month, we had already been discussing GiveDirectly, a charity run by former MP Rory Stewart. The charity's ethos really resonated with us; cash in hand payments to those who need it. We love the simplicity of this idea and the direct nature of its operation. They're incredibly open about their financials (which demonstrate a strong impact-per-dollar) and the research they provide on the various charitable causes is excellent.

It felt like a winning combination when we discovered their operations in Uganda. We were shocked to read that Uganda takes in more refugees than the whole of Europe combined. According to WorldBank, refugees are also the poorest segment of the Ugandan population. Food security remains a concern for both refugee and host households, and 7 out of 10 refugee households experienced severe food insecurity. With the ongoing crisis in Sudan forcing more people out of the country, it's likely the number of refugees in neighbouring Uganda will swell over the coming months, making the need for financial aid even more pertinent.

Why Uganda?

One of a great many worthy charitable targets, GiveDirectly addresses the question of 'Why Uganda?' with the following statement:

"We chose to work in Uganda [because they have] some of the world’s most progressive policies towards refugees. Refugees can work, set up businesses, and farm their own plots of land. Uganda provides a great opportunity to test the impact of large, unconditional cash transfers in an environment where refugees have relative freedom to invest."

In our view, the progressive governmental policies, efficient cash-in-hand nature, and ongoing humanitarian crisis in neighbouring Sudan combine to form an important and pressing cause.

Amount Given

£144.91 was the initial donation made to GiveDirectly’s Uganda Program. Feel free to read more on the GiveDirectly website, and let us know if you have any thoughts.