Poverty Lifeline Pulled for 8,100 South Sudanese Refugees in Uganda

The Graduating to Resilience Scale Activity, a program aimed at lifting people out of poverty, was canceled in mid-year, affecting approximately 8,100 South Sudanese refugees in Uganda. The program, which provided a 205 sum for each participant along with coaching to help them turn the money into a source of income, was abruptly terminated, leaving many participants without the support they had been counting on. According to Fatma Tanis, a participant in the program, the cancellation was devastating. "We were promised a lifeline to 'graduate' from poverty, but it was taken away from us," Tanis said. "We were relying on this program to improve our lives, but now we're back to square one." Tanis, a single mother of three, had been hoping to use the program to raise pigs to help support her family. The program was designed to help refugees in Uganda's Palabek Refugee Settlement and the local community build resilience and become self-sufficient. However, the cancellation of the program has left many participants without the necessary resources to achieve their goals. "The program was a great opportunity for us to learn new skills and become entrepreneurs," said Michael Obwoya, a 49-year-old elder in the refugee camp. "But now, we're not sure what the future holds." The cancellation of the program has also raised concerns about the effectiveness of international aid in addressing poverty and inequality. "The Graduating to Resilience Scale Activity was a promising initiative, but its cancellation highlights the challenges of implementing effective aid programs," said a spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. "We need to do better in supporting refugees and vulnerable communities to build resilience and achieve self-sufficiency." The program was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by the non-governmental organization (NGO) Catholic Relief Services. The cancellation of the program has left many questions unanswered, including why it was terminated and what will happen to the participants who were enrolled. As the situation continues to unfold, many participants are left to wonder what the future holds. "We're not sure what will happen to us now," said Florence Amungo, a 34-year-old participant in the program. "We were counting on this program to improve our lives, but now we're back to square one." The cancellation of the Graduating to Resilience Scale Activity serves as a reminder of the complexities and challenges of addressing poverty and inequality in refugee communities.