East African permaculture activists across Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania aim to promote sustainable living through regenerative agriculture and ecological design. Their mission is to empower communities to achieve food security, environmental restoration, and self-reliance. Their vision is a resilient, green East Africa where people live in harmony with nature. Key objectives include teaching permaculture skills, restoring degraded land, and fostering sustainable livelihoods. Core values include sustainability, empowerment, and community resilience. Rwamwanja Rural Foundation is committed to this cause because it believes in transforming refugee and rural communities by providing tools and knowledge to combat poverty, hunger, and environmental degradation sustainably
RWAMWANJA RURAL FOUNDATON
Rwamwanja Rural Foundation
Introduction
Rwamwanja Rural Foundation (RRF) is a refugee-led, non-profit organization dedicated to fostering sustainable development and resilience among refugees and host communities in Uganda. Founded in 2018, the organization was established by a group of passionate refugees in the Rwamwanja Refugee Settlement who recognized the urgent need for community-driven solutions to the challenges of poverty, food insecurity, unemployment, and environmental degradation. RRF is officially registered with the Uganda NGO Board and operates within the legal framework of Uganda, working to uplift vulnerable populations through impactful and sustainable initiatives.
Vision
To create empowered, self-sustaining, and resilient refugee and host communities that thrive through sustainable solutions and environmental stewardship.
Mission
To promote sustainable development, ecological restoration, and self-reliance in refugee settlements and host communities through education, capacity-building, and regenerative projects.
Core Values
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Inclusivity: Ensuring all refugees and host community members, regardless of background, have access to opportunities.
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Sustainability: Promoting projects that are environmentally sound, resource-efficient, and long-lasting.
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Empowerment: Equipping individuals with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed for self-sufficiency.
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Innovation: Encouraging creativity in addressing social, economic, and environmental challenges.
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Community-driven: Placing refugees and host community members at the center of planning, execution, and leadership of projects.
Core Projects in Uganda’s Refugee Settlements and Host Communities
1. Permaculture and Sustainable Agriculture
One of the flagship programs of Rwamwanja Rural Foundation is permaculture-based sustainable agriculture. Recognizing the challenge of food insecurity in refugee settlements, RRF trains refugees and host community members in permaculture principles.
Key Activities Include:
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Establishing permaculture demonstration farms within Rwamwanja Refugee Settlement and neighboring host villages.
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Training over 1,500 individuals on techniques such as agroforestry, composting, organic gardening, and water harvesting.
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Promoting kitchen gardens to maximize small spaces for food production.
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Distributing seeds, tools, and educational materials to farmers.
Impact: This initiative enhances food security, improves nutrition, and reduces reliance on food aid. By restoring degraded land and fostering ecological practices, RRF strengthens the capacity of refugees to become food producers, while host communities benefit from knowledge-sharing and resource accessibility.
2. Vocational Skills Training and Livelihood Development
Rwamwanja Rural Foundation recognizes the importance of livelihoods in rebuilding refugee dignity and self-sufficiency. The organization provides vocational training tailored to meet local market demands, equipping participants with employable skills.
Key Focus Areas:
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Tailoring and Craftsmanship: Teaching sewing, tailoring, and craft production for income generation.
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Carpentry and Construction Skills: Training in sustainable building techniques and furniture making.
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Soap Making and Small-Scale Entrepreneurship: Facilitating skills in producing household products and creating small businesses.
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Youth Empowerment: Offering life skills, mentorship programs, and entrepreneurial training to combat unemployment among refugee youth.
Impact: Through vocational training, over 800 refugees and host community members have acquired skills that enable them to start small businesses or secure employment. The project promotes financial independence, reduces poverty, and creates local economic opportunities.
3. Environmental Conservation and Climate Action
Environmental degradation is a significant challenge in refugee-hosting areas due to population pressure, deforestation, and unsustainable practices. Rwamwanja Rural Foundation leads initiatives to promote environmental conservation and climate resilience.
Key Activities Include:
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Conducting tree-planting campaigns: RRF has planted over 20,000 trees within refugee settlements and host communities to combat deforestation and soil erosion.
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Promoting renewable energy solutions: Training households in the use of energy-efficient stoves and solar lighting to reduce firewood dependency.
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Implementing waste management systems: Educating communities on recycling, composting, and proper waste disposal.
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Restoring wetlands and degraded land to improve ecosystem balance.
Impact: The environmental conservation project improves soil fertility, mitigates the impacts of climate change, and fosters environmental stewardship among refugees and host communities. Through tree-planting initiatives, natural resources are restored, ensuring long-term ecological and agricultural productivity.
4. Education for Sustainable Development
RRF believes that education is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development and fostering resilience. The organization focuses on community-based education to empower refugees and host communities with relevant knowledge and skills.
Key Initiatives:
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Establishing training centers within Rwamwanja Refugee Settlement for permaculture, vocational skills, and environmental education.
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Conducting workshops and seminars on sustainable agriculture, climate change adaptation, and livelihood improvement.
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Collaborating with local schools to integrate environmental education into their curricula.
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Supporting women and youth with tailored training programs that align with their needs and aspirations.
Impact: Over 2,000 community members have benefited from educational programs that empower them with skills to improve their livelihoods, protect the environment, and build a brighter future.
5. Women Empowerment and Gender Equality
Rwamwanja Rural Foundation actively promotes the empowerment of women and girls, recognizing their central role in community development. Women in refugee and host communities face numerous challenges, including limited access to education, livelihoods, and leadership opportunities.
Key Focus Areas:
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Providing women with vocational training in tailoring, agriculture, and entrepreneurship to promote economic independence.
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Forming and supporting women-led cooperatives for income generation and community support.
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Promoting gender-based violence (GBV) awareness and supporting survivors with counseling and referral services.
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Advocating for women’s participation in leadership and decision-making processes within the community.
Impact: Through women-focused initiatives, over 500 women have been economically empowered, fostering financial stability and gender equality within households and communities.
6. Community Health and Nutrition
The Rwamwanja Rural Foundation integrates health and nutrition awareness into its projects to improve the overall well-being of refugees and host communities.
Key Activities Include:
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Promoting nutrition-sensitive agriculture by teaching families to grow nutrient-dense foods.
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Conducting health education programs on sanitation, hygiene, and family health.
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Supporting families with the establishment of kitchen gardens for nutritious, year-round food production.
Impact: Improved access to nutritious foods and better understanding of health practices has significantly reduced malnutrition and improved the quality of life for participating families.
Why Rwamwanja Rural Foundation is Committed to This Mission
Rwamwanja Rural Foundation is deeply committed to serving refugees and host communities because it understands their unique struggles firsthand. Being refugee-led, the organization embodies the voices and experiences of the very people it serves, making its approach community-centered and empathetic. The foundation recognizes that sustainable solutions, such as permaculture and vocational training, are essential to breaking cycles of poverty, dependency, and environmental destruction.
RRF’s commitment stems from its belief that refugees are not merely beneficiaries but active participants in driving positive change. By empowering individuals with practical knowledge, skills, and tools, RRF helps create resilient, self-sufficient communities capable of overcoming challenges and contributing to the broader society.
Impact at a Glance
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Over 2,500 beneficiaries across refugee settlements and host communities in Uganda.
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20,000+ trees planted to combat deforestation and restore the environment.
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1,500+ farmers trained in permaculture and sustainable agriculture.
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800+ individuals equipped with vocational skills for income generation.
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500+ women empowered through gender equality initiatives.
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Significant improvement in food security, nutrition, livelihoods, and environmental conservation.
Rwamwanja Rural Foundation stands as a beacon of hope and transformation in Uganda’s refugee settlements and host communities. By addressing critical challenges through innovative and sustainable solutions, RRF empowers individuals to lead dignified, self-reliant lives. Its commitment to permaculture, education, environmental restoration, and women’s empowerment reflects its holistic approach to creating resilient communities. As a refugee-led organization, RRF embodies the principle of “leaving no one behind,” fostering a future where refugees and host populations work together toward sustainable growth and shared prosperity.
Our Mission
To make highly nutritious “ready- to- use food products more
accessible and affordable to those who need them most, while also increasing
awareness of their benefits and there fore generating demand
Our Vision
To promote historical of civilization to man kind to have capacity of
combating , defeat malnutrition from local to the global scale
Our Core Values
we exist poorly to pursue our vision and mission not to grow for the
sake of perpetuating our existence
OUR GOAL
In nutrition we believe that combining humanitarianism and business
represent a vision for development that is in tune with the current world’s economic
environment , time when aid budget are being cut ethical business Modal that
generate their own contribution or funding will generate longer term and reduce
dependence on public donation and finance are vital
What we do
We equip refugees with skills and knowledge aiming
at enhancing personal and economic empowerment.
Vocational Training
involves
Tailoring classes available to both men and women interested in
- Fashion and
designs - Hair dressing.
- practical Mechanics
- Knitting Weaving
- Arts and Crafts
- Mushroom production
- The is Permaculture course is taught to refugee youths, women and host community enabling the
have food on table and increase employability
Permaculture
With Permaculture provides quality landscape installation and maintenance for
residential, commercial and for small farm holder in the refugees camp and beyond . Our goal is to
create natural, environmentally-friendly ecosystem that are easy to care for. With our experience,
Permaculture offers a wide range of services within the permacultue design , including
daigning,composting, liquide or green manure , pest management
Who We Are
We are a grassroot organization started and run by refugees! We are empowering the refugee youth to fulfill their potential and enable them to transform their lives,through :permactulture, education , murshroom production ,Liquid soap.Bar soap and Hair shampoo pruduction. and vocational training
We are a friendly Organization that will recreate or bring your landscaping back to life.
Horticulture Landscaping is dedicated to providing one on one customer service which
includes a free consultation to ensure you get exactly what you are looking for
This video and picture highlights the transformative permaculture training initiative conducted in Bidibidi by the Rwamwanja Rural Foundation, in collaboration with the Permaculture Education Institute and Regenerosity. The training focuses on empowering communities to adopt sustainable agricultural practices, with a particular emphasis on water harvesting techniques and the broader benefits of permaculture. Steps in Water Harvesting: Central to the training are the principles of water harvesting, taught as essential steps for ensuring effective water management. Participants learn how to sink, capture, spread, and store water, creating a sustainable system that maximizes rainfall usage. Sink: This step involves creating conditions for water to penetrate the soil, replenishing groundwater and improving soil moisture. Techniques such as swales, trenches, and deep mulching are demonstrated to facilitate water infiltration. Capture: Participants are trained to gather rainwater effectively using methods like rooftop collection, surface runoff capture, and small dams. This ensures that precious rainfall is not wasted. Spread: The captured water is distributed across the landscape to irrigate crops and nourish the soil. Strategies like contour planting, keyline design, and diversion channels are used to prevent water stagnation and erosion. Store: Long-term water storage methods, such as tanks, ponds, and aquifers, are taught to provide a reliable water supply during dry seasons. These methods are paired with techniques to reduce evaporation and maintain water quality. Importance of Permaculture: The training also underscores the broader benefits of permaculture in transforming lives and landscapes. Permaculture is presented as a holistic approach to sustainable living, addressing key challenges in Bidibidi related to food security, environmental degradation, and economic hardship. Improved Food Security: Permaculture designs focus on creating resilient food systems by integrating diverse crops, trees, and animals. Participants learn to grow nutrient-dense food throughout the year, reducing reliance on external aid and improving household nutrition. Environmental Restoration: Techniques such as agroforestry, composting, and natural pest management restore soil fertility, enhance biodiversity, and combat desertification. The training helps regenerate degraded lands, turning them into productive ecosystems. Water Resilience: Through water harvesting and management, communities can mitigate the impacts of erratic rainfall and drought, ensuring a stable water supply for farming and daily needs. Economic Opportunities: By producing surplus food, fuelwood, and natural products, participants can generate income. They also learn to use permaculture principles for value addition, such as processing food or creating crafts, fostering local entrepreneurship. Climate Change Adaptation: Permaculture equips communities with strategies to adapt to climate change, such as planting drought-resistant crops, building windbreaks, and managing resources efficiently. These practices build resilience against unpredictable weather patterns. Community Transformation: The training in Bidibidi has sparked a movement of change, empowering refugees and host communities alike. By integrating permaculture principles, participants are transforming their immediate surroundings into thriving, sustainable ecosystems. The program not only addresses immediate needs but also instills a long-term vision of self-reliance and environmental stewardship. Partnerships for Impact: The collaboration between the Rwamwanja Rural Foundation, the Permaculture Education Institute, and Regenerosity showcases the power of partnerships in driving impactful change. Together, they provide resources, knowledge, and mentorship to ensure the success and sustainability of the initiative. By combining local insights with global expertise, the program serves as a model for other communities seeking sustainable development. In conclusion, this video captures the essence of the permaculture training initiative in Bidibidi, highlighting how simple yet profound steps like sinking, capturing, spreading, and storing water, alongside other permaculture practices, are transforming lives. It’s a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the potential of sustainable agriculture to build thriving, self-reliant communities