Who We are

OUR CORE VALUES

  1. To promote peace and unity among host and refugee communities.
  2. To advocate for the rights of refugees with disabilities
  3. To evaluate, assess and monitor a range of innovative interventions that respond to the needs of refugee students, women and their families.
  4. Raise conduct awareness and sensitize communities about HIV/AIDS and other related epidemics.
  5. To promote access of refugee communities to livelihood, education, protection and health services.
  6. To promote cultural diversity through traditional activities that bring healing and reconciliation among the refugee communities.

OUR VISION

Be the leading advocate on promoting urban refugee’s community welfare, peace, protection and education in the region

OUR MISSION

To work on urban refugees’ community welfare and protection

Our History

1.0 Organizational Background.

South-Sudan is mapped and branded as one of the countries that have experienced countless political instabilities and turbulences since it gained independence about one and half decade ago. The country has been ravaged and devastated by relentless wars leading to massive unprecedented loss of lives and an upsurge in humanitarian crisis in the country. Gross human oppression, marginalization and lack of observance of human rights in the country by various warring factions resulted into an unforeseen phenomenon characterized by rapid migration of people abroad and a growing influx of south Sudanese refugees into the neighboring countries in pursuit of political asylum. 

It’s estimated that over 2.3 million south Sudanese left their home country in a span of 13 years since the country’s independence. It’s speculated that there are over 1 million South Sudanese in Uganda and the number is expected to increase twofold by 2030 if these devastating effects of political insurgencies continue to protract, tear the country and impose immense insecurities to many livelihoods. While in Uganda, we witnessed how scores of victims of political instabilities endure various hardships and unprecedented challenges in the host community. They were lacking basic humanitarian aid, without enough food, medical care, shelter, coupled with lack of basic education and skills to enable them seek for employment opportunities. This trend triggered and skyrocketed psycho-social problems among many South Sudanese refugees in Uganda due to deteriorating health conditions that they were constantly subjected to. To address this key concern, we hatched a sound idea of launching a non-profit organization whose core objective was to reverse this inhumane trend and chronic crisis, and respond to the growing and perpetual outcry of our native South Sudanese people through several interventions and programs championed by USSURC.

United South Sudanese Refugee Community (USSURC) is a Non-Profit Organization initiated by south Sudanese refugees in Uganda. It was registered and incorporated in 2019. Since its inception, it undertakes a number of key strategic programs and interventions tailored primary to refugee community as well as the host community through a participatory and inclusive approach to capacity building and community empowerment (refugee community). It also reaches out to a multitude of asylum seekers from other refugee communities subsisting in Uganda, with a cohort of enriching programs.  USSURC embraces a culture of partnership and a multi-stakeholder approach to capacity building and empowerment of the south Sudanese people in Uganda, the host community as well as other refugees from various refugee communities.

How the idea and dream of starting USSURC Translated into Reality

The idea of founding United South Sudan Urban Refugee Community (USSURC) was solely masterminded and championed by pastor Francis Lodi a South Sudanese citizen who together with his family are among the countless victims of a wave of political wars in South Sudan. During an exclusive interview with pastor Francis Lodi, he was quoted to have said; “I can’t imagine the level of devastation caused by polarity in our country. The lethal afflictions and scars engraved in the hearts of the South Sudanese people due to successive wars are irreparable. If we can’t rebuild our country, at least we can build the capacity to restore the shrinking hope of the desperate south Sudanese refugees, those thriving here in Uganda and those living in other parts of the world”. “This is what currently preoccupies my mind, nothing else. I believe, you and I, together with our partners can do something tangible. Our brothers and sisters here need compassionate and generous people to intervene and create a difference in their lives. Little things can have a compound effect of producing big and positive results. Each one of us can contribute a little they have so that through this pool, we can reassure our people and raise their optimism”.

 USSURC co-exists in harmony with the host community. Through strategic partnerships and a number of key developmental programs and interventions, USSURC continues to harness its full potential and leverages its stance to optimally use its meager resources to create a big difference in the lives of a multitude of refugees as well as a section of Ugandans especially those from marginalized and poverty-stricken households.

Through a cohort of inclusive, non-discriminatory capacity building and life changing programs such as education, information sessions, youths and adult skilling, SACCOs (refugee savings programs), mental wellness and positive wellbeing and GBV awareness, tech-based training programs among other key strategic interventions, we are able to ultimately address the humanitarian crisis triggered by psycho-social, economic and a number of overarching issues affecting the refugee community in Uganda. These programs have so far changed many lives and households. Approximately 25,000 refugees and 5000 households have been reached out with our programs since 2019.

  • USSURC vigorously supporting COVID-19 prevention awareness campaigns and distributing COVID-19 prevention materials to more than 500 refugees and host communities.
  • In 2021, USSURC was able to expand and open new Centre’s for skill development in Kajjansi, and Kawempe. The Facilities offered adult literacy, computer skills, adult, tailoring, and Craft.
  • The organization graduated 260 individuals in 2022 and 2023 in adult literacy, computers, trauma therapy, bookmaking, tailoring, and business skills, and provided grants and supplies to women’s groups.
  • USSURC established partnership with Amala education UK based. Amala has been able to provide USSURC with curriculum for short courses, (link) to help dropout children go back to school. We have been able to graduate to more than 150 students since 2023 (link to graduation and class photos.)
  • USSURC distributed food items to the refugee and host communities at the same period of covid-19.

Our Team

The Board of Directors of USSURC is responsible for providing strategic direction and oversight.

  • Ps Francis Lodi – founding Director
  • Malish Peter – Chairperson
  • Rev Victor Momo – Coordinator
  • Ps lewi Aligo – Resource Mobilization Committee Chairperson
  • Dr Victor Inyanko – Member

The Executive Committee is in charge of managing the organization’s daily activities, working alongside a group of field coordinators who are employed in the communities where the projects are carried out.

Composition of an executive team:

  • Executive Director
  • Admin and finance
  • Project coordinators
  • Logistics
  • Support staff

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