Refugee Literacy Outreach in Uganda by Africa ELI
Through our STEPi Uganda partners Africa ELI, led by Utopia’s Executive Director Zaharah Namanda and our dedicated STEPi ambassadors, we continue to serve Uganda's most vulnerable communities. From the remote Kyaka II refugee settlement, Nakivale Refugee Camp to the streets of Katwe and Bukerere, our team brings enlightenment to underserved children, teachers and parents through the world of reading STEPi books.
In these hard to reach communities, every mile reached is a smile made and hope re-built especially for refugee children. Our refugee outreach initiatives have reached over 1,226 children, 2,000 parents and 80 teachers in various refugee settlements, proving that circumstances never define destiny. Read Joshua’s story of hope to delve into how STEPi books like "Amani the Boda-Boda Rider," inspire children living in refugee settlements.
“Amani the Boda-Boda Rider” follows the story of a young girl who defies societal norms to pursue her dream to become a boda-boda rider. Through determination and the support of her grandparents, she succeeds, proving that you can achieve anything that you put your mind to. It is through this adventure story of courage and sense-of-purpose that Joshua gained the inspiration to pursue his own dream of one day becoming a teacher.
In the streets of Katwe and Bukerere, the Africa ELI team shared the joy of reading with 157 children and 26 parents through inspiring and engaging street literacy reading sessions. The team created a safe and open atmosphere of learning, enabling all participants to feel like they belong, and to freely engage with books.
Education transforms refugee children from survivors into architects of their own futures. In Uganda's refugee settlements, where families have fled conflict and uncertainty, books become bridges to possibility. They open doorways to education and dreams that transcend the boundaries of displacement. When we place a STEPi book in a child's hand and fill their world with stories, we're not just teaching literacy; we're nurturing resilience, critical thinking, and the unshakeable belief that their circumstances don't define their potential.
These young learners, who have experienced circumstances beyond their years, possess an extraordinary capacity for learning and adaptation. By investing in their education today, we're empowering them to become tomorrow's doctors, engineers, teachers, and leaders who will rebuild their communities. Every book shared, every lesson taught, plants seeds of hope that will bloom into solutions that uplift the next generation.
