Urban centres across Uganda are growing rapidly, and in West Nile’s Arua City and Koboko Municipality, this growth is being shaped by both host communities and refugees seeking safety and opportunity. While urbanisation brings new possibilities, it also places immense pressure on already stretched services such as education, health care and livelihoods. It is within this context that the Supporting Urban Integration of Displacement-Affected Communities (SUIDAC) project is working with the Government of Uganda, Arua City, Koboko Municipality with Technical Implementation support from Associazione Centro Aiuti Volontari (ACAV) and partners to expand access to quality education, health services and economic opportunities for all.

Education under pressure

In many public schools, rising enrolment has outpaced available infrastructure. Classrooms are congested, teaching conditions are difficult, and learners struggle to receive the attention they need. Speaking to school administrators, it emerged that some pupils are forced to sit on the floor due to overcrowding.

“We have 2,475 pupils sharing a few classrooms. As a result, the rooms are congested, with a pupil–teacher ratio of 1 to 150,”

said Taban Augustine, Head Master Ombachi Self Help Primary School.

The strain on infrastructure extends beyond classrooms to sanitation facilities. At Ombachi Self Help Primary School, 1,164 girls share only 10 latrine stances, while 819 boys also rely on just 10 stances. Such conditions affect learners’ health, dignity, and overall wellbeing, with girls particularly vulnerable.

To address these challenges, the SUIDAC project will support selected schools with new classroom blocks, dormitories, and improved WASH facilities. These investments aim to create safer, more inclusive learning environments for both refugee and host community children.

“When the new classroom block is constructed, it will reduce congestion and foster effective teaching and learning. When the room is organised with desks, the teacher can easily move around to check what pupils are doing,”

said Charles Ariaka, Head Teacher of Onduparaka Primary School in Arua. Improved facilities are also expected to boost enrolment, enabling more young people to access education.

Beyond overcrowding, many schools face challenges in fully supporting learners with special needs. In Koboko Municipality, there are only three schools catering for learners with disabilities, with Teremunga Primary School serving children with hearing impairments. Long distances to school and the absence of on-site accommodation make learning particularly difficult and unsafe.

“When we are coming from home to school, we are unable to hear vehicles and motorcycles. Our homes are also very far, so we can’t go back home to get food at lunch,”

one of the pupils shared. Without boarding facilities, learners with hearing impairments have struggled to fully benefit from the specialised services offered at the school. In response, SUIDAC has planned the construction of a dormitory to house these learners, ensuring they can study, live, and thrive in a safer and more supportive environment.

Health centres in these fast-growing urban areas face similar pressure. Adumi Health Centre IV, located in Ayivu Division, receives approximately 17,000 outpatients annually, a quarter of whom are refugees. Yet all inpatients are accommodated in a single 10-bed general ward built in the 1970s. The ward serves male and female patients and regularly absorbs overflow from the maternity unit, often forcing patients to sleep on the floor.

To ease congestion and improve the quality of care, SUIDAC will construct a new general ward at the facility. This upgrade is expected to significantly improve patient dignity, reduce overcrowding, and strengthen health service delivery for both refugees and host communities.

“I think the general ward will be a blessing to this facility. It is located 15 kilometres from Arua Regional Referral Hospital, and this will reduce referrals while improving care for patients here,”

said Dr Felix Odur, In-Charge of Adumi Health Centre IV.

Strengthening livelihoods through markets

For many urban residents, markets are the backbone of daily income and household survival. However, inadequate stalls, aging structures, and poor sanitation limit traders’ productivity and expose them to harsh working conditions.

“When rain comes with a lot of wind, we suffer. It destroys our products,”

said Grace, a trader in one of the local markets. Despite these challenges, markets remain vital spaces for economic interaction between refugees and host communities. Through the SUIDAC project, market areas will be renovated and new stalls constructed, enabling traders to operate in safer, cleaner, and more functional environments that support local economic growth.

Building inclusive urban communities

By strengthening schools, health facilities, and economic spaces, the SUIDAC project is contributing to more inclusive, resilient, and equitable urban communities. Working closely with government and local partners, the project is improving essential services while expanding opportunities for both refugees and host communities in Arua City and Koboko Municipality.

About the SUIDAC Project

The Supporting Urban Integration of Displacement-Affected Communities (SUIDAC) project is a four-year partnership programme that aims to foster the sustainable integration of displaced populations and their host communities in secondary cities across Sub-Saharan Africa.

The initiative enhances municipalities’ capacity to address the needs of Displacement-Affected Communities (DACs) amid growing urban challenges caused by forced displacement and migration. At the same time, host cities and local stakeholders are better prepared to respond to the impacts of human mobility through strengthened, evidence-based approaches.

SUIDAC seeks to benefit DACs by expanding access to basic public services, enhancing economic opportunities, and improving protection. On the city side, the programme fosters multi-level policy dialogue at local, national, and regional levels on urban forced displacement issues, while strengthening government responses.

SUIDAC is active in nine cities across five countries: The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda. The programme focuses on governance, citizenship, environment, economic realities, and service delivery at the intersection of forced displacement and urban development. Activities include locally driven projects that benefit both displaced communities and host cities, alongside dialogue initiatives that promote social cohesion and conflict prevention.

In Uganda, the SUIDAC programme is technically implemented by Associazione Centro Aiuti Volontari (ACAV) in partnership with national and local government authorities & organisations.