Project Duration: November 2024 – October 2025

Location: Imvepi Refugee Settlement, Zones 1 and 2

Target Schools: Inyau, Supiri, Torit, Awa, Longamere Main, Longamere Annex Primary Schools

Target Group: Learners and Teachers (70% Refugee, 30% Host)

Funding Partner: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands through War Child Alliance

Background and Context

The INSPIRE Project is a child-focused initiative that addresses the urgent and long-term needs of conflict-affected children and youth living in Uganda’s refugee-hosting districts. Centered in Imvepi Refugee Settlement, the project specifically supports children in selected primary schools across Zones 1 and 2, using Evidence-Based Interventions (EBIs) to enhance education access, psychosocial well-being, and protection outcomes.

The initiative is implemented with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands through the War Child Alliance, and it strategically combines psychosocial support, inclusive education, teacher capacity building, and community engagement to improve the learning environment for refugee and host community children.

Project Objectives and Key Outcomes

Outcome 1: Access to Interactive Learning Materials for 1,200 Children

   1. The project introduces digital, self-paced learning through the “Can’t Wait to Learn” approach. This method targets learners in transition classes (P3), using tablets equipped with pre-recorded educational games designed to improve numeracy and literacy. Each child’s progress is tracked, printed, and reviewed termly to provide individualized academic support.

Outcome 2: Enhanced Social and Emotional Well-Being for 3,072 Children and 60 Teachers

Multiple interventions are being implemented to promote emotional stability, trauma coping, and professional wellness:

   1. Team-Up (2,880 learners): A structured play-based intervention conducted in groups, designed to enhance emotional resilience and reduce trauma-related symptoms. Implemented in 4 schools (Supiri, Torit, Longamere Main, and Longamere Annex) by two trained facilitators per schoo

  2. CORE Approach (60 teachers): The Coaching, Observing, Reflecting, and Engaging (CORE) model supports teacher well-being. It involves five sessions that help teachers develop and follow personalized development plans (PDPs), improve work-life balance, manage stress, and understand trauma-sensitive practices.

Outcome 3: Improved Psychosocial Support Responsiveness among 13,020 Participants (Parents, Children, and Youth)

   1. Case Management (192 children): The project identifies and supports vulnerable children showing signs of distress or trauma. These children receive tailored care including referrals for counseling, protection services, and educational support such as scholastics and PTA fees. Identification is done in collaboration with schools and para-social workers.

   2. Awareness Raising Activities: The project engages 13,020 parents, children, and youth through community dialogues and home visits to strengthen community-level psychosocial support. These sessions are led by trained technical officers and focus on enhancing caregiver capacity to respond to children’s mental health and emotional needs

The INSPIRE Project provides a comprehensive, child-centered response to the effects of conflict and displacement on young learners and their teachers in Uganda’s refugee settlements. Through its integration of digital education, psychosocial support, teacher coaching, and community engagement, the project builds a safe, inclusive, and nurturing learning environment that supports both academic success and emotional recovery. By focusing on both refugee and host populations, INSPIRE also strengthens social cohesion and shared resilience in vulnerable communities.