ASPIRE PROJECT

The ASPIRE (Action for Strengthening Partnerships in Inclusion, Resilience, and Education) program addresses the pressing challenges of food insecurity, economic instability, social conflict, and inadequate services in Northern Uganda’s refugee settlements, particularly the Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement. Refugees and host communities face worsening socio-economic conditions, partially due to declining humanitarian aid and increased costs for essential goods and agricultural inputs linked to global conflicts like the war in Ukraine. Building on ADRA’s collaboration with Strømme Foundation and YGlobal through the PEACE program (2020-2023), ASPIRE aims to strengthen coexistence, resilience, and self-reliance. Key interventions include: (1) facilitating land access for climate-smart food production, benefiting 11,732 smallholder farmers; (2) providing demand-driven technical vocational education and training (TVET) to empower 1,500 youth and engage them in agribusiness; and (3) supporting community-based savings groups to improve financial inclusion for over 4,000 members. Additionally, ASPIRE promotes peace and social inclusion through community dialogues, with a focus on gender equality and protection services. The program contributes to Uganda’s social and economic development goals by addressing urgent needs, fostering sustainable livelihoods, and promoting harmony among diverse communities.