Uganda has welcomed more than 80,000 Sudanese refugees since war erupted in Khartoum and Darfur, but many of them aren’t farmers seeking land in rural settlements. They’re teachers, lawyers, business owners, and students, now struggling to survive in Uganda’s towns and cities with little to no support.
This new wave of urban refugees is exposing the cracks in Uganda’s rural-based refugee model. With no food aid, few job opportunities, and rising living costs, many are stuck in limbo — safe from war, but unable to rebuild their lives.
Our latest briefing unpacks the challenges facing Sudanese refugees in Uganda today, and why an urgent shift is needed to support those who are falling through the cracks of a system that wasn’t built for them.
- Over 80,000 Sudanese refugees arrived since April 2023, many from Khartoum, Al Fasher.
- “We used to eat three meals a day. Now it’s one and a half.” — Former businessman from Khartoum.
- Urban refugees in Kampala receive no food aid, and many must commute to rural settlements just to collect dwindling cash support.
- “Safe, but not surviving” — a refrain among Sudanese in Kampala.
Uganda is one of the world’s most neglected displacement crises. It may not make the headlines, but the needs are urgent. Share this story and help shine a light on the world's neglected displacement crises. Your voice matters when others remain silent.
