Finn Church Aid (FCA) and the Ugandan government have finalised a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for three years. The MoU is recognition of FCA’s work as a strong humanitarian actor specifically in the field of education.

With the MoU, FCA is responsible for organising vocational training in the refugee settlement of Rwamwanja. FCA will also build learning spaces, support refugee children with disabilities and the livelihood of people in crises.

“In three years, Finn Church Aid will realise a vocational training programme in Rwamwanja, where Congolese refugees are housed. 900 refugee and local young people will benefit from the programme”, says Wycliffe Nsheka, Finn Church Aid Uganda Country Manager.

An education programme will also be organised for the South-Sudanese refugees in Adjumani, where one thousand refugee and local children with physical or learning disabilities will be given a change to receive education.

In the refugee settlements of Uganda, the need for education is urgent. The youth unemployment rate in the country, according to the African Development Bank, is 83 %, which is one of the highest in the world.

“There is a high demand for vocational training because in Uganda, refugees have a right to work”, explains Nsheka.

Finn Church Aid is a member of the UN Global Education Cluster and has worked determinately to develop the quality of education in the context of humanitarian aid. In Uganda, FCA has worked for the education of refugees since 2012.

“In vocational training, special emphasis is put on employment opportunities. The goal is for these young people to become active members of society”, says FCA Director of International Cooperation Tomi Järvinen.

“This is a wonderful recognition of FCA’s work. The MoU opens up new possibilities for cooperation for FCA in Uganda. For example, the United Nations Refugee Agency UNHCR and Unicef work closely only with NGOs that have this accreditation. It will now be easier for us to coordinate our work and benefit the communities housing refugees”, says Järvinen.

Further information:
Wycliffe Nsheka, Uganda Country Manager, p. +256 77 296 1551 (Uganda)
Tomi Järvinen, Director of International Cooperation, p. +358 40 641 8209