About Us

Aider Refugee Initiative is a refugee-led nonprofit organization founded in 2018 and based in Kampala, Uganda. The organization was established to ensure that refugees are not only protected, but also empowered to lead, participate, and shape the systems that affect their lives. Over the years, AIDER has grown into one of the leading refugee-led advocacy organizations in Uganda, reaching more than 90,000 refugees through community outreach, policy engagement, vocational training, protection programming, and information-sharing initiatives. Through strong partnerships with national and international actors, AIDER continues to amplify refugee voices, promote dignity and self-reliance, and create opportunities for vulnerable refugee women, youth, and children across Uganda. Guided by the belief that refugees themselves understand their challenges best, AIDER works directly with communities to deliver practical solutions, strengthen leadership, and build pathways toward inclusion, employment, and meaningful participation in decision-making spaces.

Refugees Reached

0 K+

Years of Service

0 +

Projects Delivered

0 +

Partners & Collaborators

0 +

Over the years, Aider has grown into a recognized RLO engaged in community development, protection, advocacy, and capacity-building programs.

Registration Number: 80020003932338
Certificate Number: BRS-INCC-2-22/11523
Registered in: Kampala, Uganda

Key Advocacy Themes

Aider works across several advocacy areas including:

Refugee Meaningful Participation “Your Policy, Our Voices Matter”
Self-Reliance & Employment Access “Empower to Earn, Self-Reliance Starts Here”
Rights Awareness especially employment rights under the Refugee Act 2006
Gender equity, GBV prevention, and protection
Environmental and natural resource management

SUCCESS STORIES

Policy Advocacy - The Right to Work

Advocacy built on proof and evidence. Under Article 29 of the Uganda Refugee Act 2006, refugees have the legal right to work. But that right existed only on paper. In partnership with Refugees International, AIDER conducted field research on the reality of refugee employment in Uganda. We published our findings with the Daily Monitor, one of Uganda's leading newspapers, bringing the issue to national attention. The result: other partners and organisations are now adopting our recommendations to address the impact of aid cuts on refugee livelihoods in Uganda. What started as research became a policy tool that is shaping how the sector responds. That is what advocacy looks like when it is led by people who live the problem.

Hikma's Story - Finding Her Voice, Leading Change

Hikma is a young refugee from Ethiopia. Like many displaced young people, she faced uncertainty and limited opportunities. But she carried a clear dream - to become a communications professional and use her voice to represent others. In 2025, Hikma joined the POWER Project, implemented by AIDER in partnership with the Norwegian Refugee Council. Through the programme, she gained practical skills in leadership, photography, and public speaking. She built the confidence to stand up, speak out, and inspire others. She quickly emerged as a leader among her peers. Today, Hikma is no longer just a participant - she is a young leader and emerging advocate. She is working toward joining the humanitarian sector, where she hopes to champion the rights of refugee women and girls in Uganda. As Hikma says: "I am incredibly grateful to the POWER Project, Aider Refugee Initiative, and the Norwegian Refugee Council for opening these doors for me."

From One Girl to 110 - A Story of Resilience

In 2024, with no funding and no partnerships, one skilled refugee girl made a decision. She would support other refugee girls using what she had. The girls contributed their own small resources to buy training materials. AIDER provided the space and facilitated the training completely free of charge. 110 girls were trained. Nearly 30 of them secured jobs and internships in both refugee and host communities. Many gained not only skills, but confidence, dignity, and purpose. Today, these trained girls are ready to give back. They want to train others and expand the impact. But they face real limitations: they cannot afford training materials, and the training space is no longer available. This initiative proved that change is possible - even with almost nothing. Imagine what could happen with the right support.

Aider Refugee Initiative

AIDER Refugee Initiative is a refugee-led nonprofit rooted in Kampala, Uganda. We advocate for refugee rights, share critical information, and equip refugees with vocational skills.

About us

Vision

Mission

Core Values