“Before the DCA Programme supported me, life was hard and getting money to buy food was hard, and I couldn’t even afford to buy soap for washing clothes,” recalls Adili Jane.
Today, the 24-year-old South Sudanese refugee runs her own salon in Bidibidi Refugee Settlement, earns UGX 70,000 in monthly profit, and saves UGX 40,000 every month to secure the future of her three children.
Young Mothers Caught Between Hunger and Uncertainty
Across Northern Uganda’s refugee settlements, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers face the double burden of caring for young children while struggling to access food and income. Displacement often separates families and cuts off livelihoods, leaving women to navigate survival alone.
When food rations are reduced, households without income have few alternatives. Nutrition support is critical, yet without livelihood opportunities, families remain exposed to recurring hardship.
Life in Bidibidi Refugee Settlement
Bidibidi Refugee Settlement in West Nile is home to thousands who fled conflict in South Sudan. Adili arrived there in 2016, alone, while some of her family members stayed behind.
After settling in the camp, she became pregnant, but the father of her child later returned to South Sudan, leaving her to raise her baby by herself.
“Securing a meal was uncertain, nutritious food was rare, and even basic household necessities were out of reach.” She remembers the weight of those days clearly
A Project that Addressed Food and Income Together
In May 2022, DanChurchAid (DCA Uganda), with funding from JPA Espersen Foundation, launched a project titled “Improving access to fresh food and livelihood opportunities for young refugee mothers in West Nile refugee settlements, Northern Uganda.”
The initiative targeted 2,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women with children aged 6 to 23 months in Zones 2, 3, and 4 of Bidibidi. It combined monthly cash transfers for nutritious food with financial literacy training, livelihood development, life skills sessions, savings group participation, and community engagement.
The objective was clear: to respond to urgent nutrition needs while building women’s capacity to earn and manage income independently. Adili was enrolled in 2023 while pregnant, becoming one of the 2,000 young mothers supported through the project.
Turning Support into Strategy
Through the programme, Adili received UGX 50,000 per month for four months to purchase fresh and nutritious food, and vegetables became part of her household meals.
But she did not spend everything.
“Whenever I received the cash, I never used all of it to buy nutritious food because I had to plan for the future,” she explains. “Even if the project ended, I decided to save part of it, because DCA had also trained us about financial literacy and the benefits of saving and joining a Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA).”
She joined a savings group and began setting money aside, and with part of her savings, she opened a small retail business selling silver fish, soap, cooking oil, sugar, and salt.
Midway through implementation, DCA identified women who were actively running small businesses for additional support. Adili was selected; she also received business planning training, developed a proposal for a salon, and secured UGX 400,000 as start-up capital for a salon business.
Managing a Business in the Settlement
The salon gradually became her main source of income, yet challenges emerged. Some customers delayed payments after taking hair pieces or receiving services.
“But with the life skills training we got from DCA on how to handle problem solving, I always report to our local leaders in the Refugee Welfare Council, who speak to the debtors, and they help me recover my money,” she says. “I involve the local leaders so as to avoid conflicts; that is how I can recover my money from bad debtors.”
The training gave her practical ways to protect her business without escalating disputes.
Income, Stability, and Dignity
Today, Adili earns UGX 70,000 in monthly profit from her salon. She saves UGX 30,000 each month and occasionally borrows from her savings group to expand her stock, repaying with interest.
“The money helps me to buy food, and I also invest part of it in the savings group. I also borrow part of it to boost my business, and I pay back to the savings group with interest,” she explains.
Adili no longer receives food assistance, but alongside her salon income, she grows cassava, maize, sorghum, and vegetables for home consumption. Her children are healthy, and she meets their daily needs without depending on external support.
“I am very happy to be financially independent because I am self-reliant and able to support my family, to provide for all their basic needs, and I am also able to continue saving.”
She now encourages other women to start small businesses and adopt a savings culture.
“I want to appeal to the donors that there are very many people in the community who still need so much support. Our neighbours who have not yet been supported need support so that we can improve our community together.”
Plans for the Future
Adili’s next goal is to buy a generator. Without electricity, she cannot provide washing and blow-drying services, which limits her income.
“Some customers come when they want to wash and blow dry their hair, but because I do not have power, I am not able to offer that service, and I end up missing out on that money.”
From struggling to afford soap to running a business and saving nearly half her monthly profit, Adili’s story reflects what can happen when immediate food assistance is paired with life skills, savings, and access to capital. For one of the 2,000 young mothers reached in Bidibidi refugee settlement, the shift has been practical and measurable, income in hand, food on the table, and plans for growth already underway.
About this Project
- Title: Improving access to fresh food and livelihood opportunities for young refugee mothers in West Nile refugee settlements, Northern Uganda.
- Period: May 2022-December 2025
- Donor: Espersen – J.P.A. Foundation
- Location: Bidibidi zones 2, 3, and 4.
- Target Group: Pregnant and breastfeeding women
- Target number: 2,000 women
- Theme: Building Resilient Communities
