A 12-month food security pilot funded by NORAD through Oxfam Denmark, deploying Cash for Work to rehabilitate community infrastructure and inject income directly into the economies of Rhino Camp and Imvepi refugee settlements.
Food insecurity in Rhino Camp and Imvepi refugee settlements is not simply a matter of ration shortfalls. It is structural. Households that depend entirely on humanitarian assistance have no buffer when rations are cut, no way to earn income, and no stake in the community infrastructure around them. Roads that flood in the rainy season cut off distribution points. Water access failures push households deeper into crisis. The economic link between refugees and host communities remains underdeveloped, feeding resentment rather than interdependence.
This project addressed those structural roots through Cash for Work — paying participants a direct wage to rehabilitate the roads, water reservoirs, and drainage infrastructure that everyone in the settlement depends on. The model worked on two levels simultaneously: it put money in the hands of the households that most needed it while generating community assets that reduced everyone's vulnerability to the next shock.
YSAT implemented in partnership with Oxfam in Uganda, IFRAD, and AFCE across Zombo, Madi Okollo, and Terego districts, with NORAD funding channelled through Oxfam Denmark. The project ran through three complementing strategies across the consortium: multi-purpose unconditional Cash for Work, transition to resilient livelihoods through Food for Assets including distribution of poultry and pigs alongside financial literacy and skilling, and agriculture through block farming — all with integrated peacebuilding and gender mainstreaming. YSAT led the Cash for Work and peace promotion components in Rhino Camp and Imvepi, with the work driven from the ground by refugee community structures and YSAT field staff permanently embedded in both settlements.
YSAT enrolled 1,963 households into a structured Cash for Work programme, paying participants a direct wage for labour on community infrastructure projects. The approach gave households immediate income to meet food and basic needs while contributing to assets that benefited the entire settlement — creating a direct link between effort, earnings, and community resilience.
4.5 kilometres of road were cleared and rehabilitated across Rhino Camp and Imvepi. These roads serve as critical arteries for food distribution, market access, and emergency response. Flooding and poor road conditions during the rainy season had previously cut off entire zones from distribution points — rehabilitation directly improved food access for surrounding communities.
11 water reservoirs were constructed across the project area, expanding water access for refugee and host community households. The reservoirs reduced distances to water collection points, reduced competition over scarce water sources, and provided a buffer against seasonal shortages — all of which have direct effects on household food security and protection outcomes.
2 Italian bridges were constructed to restore year-round connectivity between settlement zones cut off by seasonal flooding. The bridges improved movement for people, goods, and emergency vehicles — ensuring that food distribution, health services, and market activity could continue during the rainy season without interruption.
Peace promotion was integrated throughout the project, recognising that food insecurity and livelihood competition are among the most significant drivers of tension between refugee and host communities. Structured dialogue sessions, joint work teams, and community engagement activities reinforced shared interests and reduced conflict over resources across the three districts.
YSAT worked with community structures in Rhino Camp and Imvepi to identify the most food-insecure households for enrolment into the Cash for Work programme. Transparent targeting processes reduced community tension, ensured that the most vulnerable had first access to income opportunities, and built accountability between YSAT, implementing partners, and the communities being served.
Households earned income through Cash for Work
Million shillings injected into local economies
Water reservoirs constructed across the project area
Italian bridges constructed restoring year-round access