{"query_echo":{"q":"","filters":{"geography":["Nakivale Refugee Settlement"]},"warnings":[{"code":"facet_value_not_in_vocabulary","message":"Value 'Nakivale Refugee Settlement' for facet 'geography' is not in the controlled vocabulary."}]},"total":{"value":6,"relation":"eq"},"page":1,"page_size":20,"self":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/api/v1/search?geography=Nakivale+Refugee+Settlement","stability":"beta","ai_marking":{"digital_source_type":{"uri":"http://cv.iptc.org/newscodes/digitalsourcetype/trainedAlgorithmicMedia","name":"Created using Generative AI"},"notice":"Summary and key insights are generated using artificial intelligence."},"results":[{"id":"fsdafri-000134","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/fsdafri-000134","title":"Rebuilding livelihoods in displacement","publisher":{"name":"FSD Africa","organization":"fsd-africa"},"document_type":"report","language":"en","date_published":"2022-03","source_url":"https://fsdafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ENDLINE-REPORT-Rebuilding-livelihoods-in-displacement-eversion-28022022_compressed.pdf","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The report finds that while identification and mobile money access for refugees in Uganda improved significantly due to policy changes, formal financial service adoption remains hindered by high transaction costs and long travel distances to agents. Refugees rely heavily on non-employment income and informal savings groups (ASCAs and ROSCAs), with a notable increase in cash kept at home for health emergencies. The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately reduced refugee incomes and increased expenditures, particularly for food and medicine. The report recommends expanding branchless banking, improving digital and financial literacy, and introducing microinsurance and sustainable energy solutions to enhance refugee financial health.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000134#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"Refugee identification improved from 94% at baseline to 99% at endline, though the type of ID significantly impacts financial access; 47% of those with a National ID could access financial services compared to only 17% with a Family Attestation letter.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000134#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Mobile money usage among refugees saw a dramatic increase from 29% to 61% between the baseline and endline, driven by a 2020 policy change allowing refugees to own SIM cards in their own names.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000134#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Non-employment income, including cash and voucher assistance from the World Food Programme (WFP), remains the primary income source for 87% of refugees, though recipients reported significant reductions in aid, such as a 60% cut in cash-based transfers in Nakivale.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000134#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Gender disparities exist in livelihoods; men are more likely to have regular employment and contractual work, while women-owned businesses tend to be smaller, concentrated in low-margin sectors like vegetable stalls, and less likely to grow.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000134#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"There was a sharp increase in refugees keeping cash at home, rising from 29% at baseline to 59% at endline, primarily to ensure immediate access to funds for health emergencies.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000134#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Formal financial services are underutilized due to high transaction costs—sometimes reaching 15,000 UGX to access funds—and the need to travel long distances, with some refugees walking two hours each way to reach an agent.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000134#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The COVID-19 pandemic caused a more severe income decrease for refugees than for host communities, with 72% of respondents in Nakivale reporting a significant decrease in income.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000134#insight-7","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Refugees face high expenditures on charcoal for heating and cooking, spending an average of 35,000 UGX per month, which the report identifies as an opportunity for PAYGo solar and clean energy solutions.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000134#insight-8","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Financial health varies by region, with Bidi Bidi (69.7%) and Palorinya (56.7%) showing higher levels than Nakivale (15.6%) and Kampala (15.4%).","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000134#insight-9","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Medical costs have risen significantly, with the median cost for medicine increasing from 5,000 UGX at baseline to 20,000 UGX at endline.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000134#insight-10","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":["microfinance"],"geography_discussed":["South Sudan","Democratic Republic of the Congo","Moyo"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["comparative analysis","longitudinal study","qualitative research","quantitative research"]},{"id":"fsdafri-000184","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/fsdafri-000184","title":"Financial Lives of Refugees in Uganda","publisher":{"name":"FSD Africa","organization":"fsd-africa"},"document_type":"fact sheet","language":"en","date_published":"2022-01","source_url":"https://fsdafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/INFOGRAPHIC-Financial-Lives-of-Refugees-in-Uganda_Highlights-of-the-Endline-Survey_January-2022.pdf","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The FI4R endline survey reveals that non-employment income remains the primary source of funds for refugees in Uganda, though there has been an increase in the use of mobile money, savings groups, and cash held at home. The report highlights the role of implementing partners like Equity Bank Uganda Limited, VisionFund Uganda, and the Rural Finance Initiative in providing bank accounts, wholesale credit models, and digitized savings tools to refugees and host communities.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000184#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"Non-employment income, which includes in-kind assistance and cash and voucher assistance, is the most significant income source for refugees.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000184#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"There has been a measurable increase in the adoption of specific financial instruments, including mobile money accounts, savings groups, and keeping cash at home.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000184#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Mobile phone ownership and access among refugees increased from 73% at the baseline to 81% at the endline.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000184#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Median monthly income varied by location; for example, in Kampala, the refugee median monthly income decreased from 208,000 UGX at baseline to 133,167 UGX at endline, while in Nakivale it increased from 177,400 UGX to 240,833 UGX.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000184#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Financial service providers implemented targeted products: Equity Bank Uganda Limited provided fully-fledged bank accounts and debit cards for World Food Program payments; VisionFund Uganda piloted a wholesale credit model for savings groups in the West Nile region; and the Rural Finance Initiative offered VSLA loans and a digital records tool called Ledger Link.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000184#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":["microfinance"],"geography_discussed":["Palorinya Refugee Settlement","Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement","Kampala","Nakivale Refugee Settlement","West Nile sub-region"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["endline survey","impact assessment"]},{"id":"fsdafri-000139","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/fsdafri-000139","title":"Financial Inclusion for Refugees (FI4R) Results of Round 3 Diaries","publisher":{"name":"FSD Africa","organization":"fsd-africa"},"document_type":"report","language":"en","date_published":"2021-08-04","source_url":"https://fsdafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/FI4R-Diaries-Round-3-Insights-Digitization-of-saving-groups-1.pdf","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The report finds that COVID-19 significantly reduced refugee incomes from employment and self-employment, leaving non-employment income as the primary source of support. While there is openness to digitizing savings groups to improve speed and safety, significant barriers remain, including low smartphone ownership, high transaction costs, and fears that digital tools may undermine group cohesion and meeting attendance.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000139#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"The COVID-19 pandemic caused a decline in refugee livelihoods, specifically reducing income from regular employment due to school closures and decreasing self-employment revenue because of travel restrictions and reduced customer spending.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000139#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Non-employment income, consisting of support from governments, NGOs, and aid agencies, remains the primary source of income for refugees, as it provides more consistent support than seasonal or short-term work.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000139#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"There has been a general decrease in the use of financial instruments due to reduced cash flow, with the exception of shop credit. Cash remains the preferred mode for most transactions, including savings in ASCAs and ROSCAs.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000139#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Refugee households experienced increased vulnerability during the study period, with 53% of respondents reporting hospitalizations and half of the households having children sent home from school due to COVID-19 or lack of fees.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000139#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"While refugees value the speed, safety, and privacy of digital financial services, adoption is hindered by low smartphone ownership (27%), high mobile money charges, and poor network availability.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000139#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"There is a perceived risk that digitizing savings groups could negatively impact social dynamics, potentially leading to decreased meeting attendance and difficulties in sharing out funds due to transaction fees.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000139#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":[],"geography_discussed":["South Sudan","Juba","Adjumani"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["longitudinal study","qualitative research","quantitative research"]},{"id":"fsdafri-000140","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/fsdafri-000140","title":"Financial Inclusion for Refugees (FI4R) Results of baseline survey","publisher":{"name":"FSD Africa","organization":"fsd-africa"},"document_type":"fact sheet","language":"en","date_published":"2020-03","source_url":"https://fsdafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Financial-Inclusion-for-Refugees-FI4R-in-Uganda-Infographic.pdf","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The Financial Inclusion for Refugees (FI4R) baseline survey analyzes the demographics, income sources, and financial instrument usage of refugees and host communities across several Ugandan settlements, including Nakivale, Bidibidi, and Palorinya. It identifies a high reliance on informal savings and credit mechanisms, such as ASCAs and ROSCAs, and a significant shift toward mobile money usage after displacement. The report also outlines the specific implementation strategies of partner financial service providers—Equity Bank Uganda Limited, VisionFund Uganda, and the Rural Finance Initiative—to increase access to bank accounts, wholesale credit, and digitized savings products for these underserved populations.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000140#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"Refugees in the surveyed areas have varying median monthly incomes depending on the location: Kampala (205,000 UGX), Nakivale (199,933 UGX), Bidibidi (160,000 UGX), and Palorinya (90,417 UGX).","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000140#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"There is a notable shift in financial tool usage after displacement; for example, the percentage of refugees using mobile money increased from 20% before leaving to 38% after, while bank/SACCO usage dropped from 29% to 17%.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000140#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Informal financial instruments are widely used, with 'Borrowing from informal group' and 'Savings in house' appearing as significant tools. In Nakivale, 63% of refugees use mobile money, while 54% use bank/SACCO services.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000140#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Digital access is limited but present, with 71% of refugees owning cell phones. Among these owners, 53% have a basic phone, 20% have a feature phone, and 27% have a smartphone.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000140#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The project involves three primary financial service providers: Equity Bank Uganda Limited (EBUL) focusing on digitized humanitarian payments and agent banking; VisionFund Uganda (VFU) piloting a wholesale credit model for savings groups in the West Nile region; and the Rural Finance Initiative (RUFI) implementing a VSLA model using 'Ledger Links' for digital transactions and credit scoring.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000140#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":["microfinance"],"geography_discussed":["Nakivale Refugee Settlement","Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement","Palorinya Refugee Settlement","Kampala","Kenya","Rwanda","South Sudan"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["baseline survey","demographic analysis","financial behavior analysis"]},{"id":"fsdafri-000138","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/fsdafri-000138","title":"GRIT, SKILLS AND LUCK: EXAMINING THE FINANCIAL LIVES OF REFUGEES IN UGANDA","publisher":{"name":"FSD Africa","organization":"fsd-africa"},"document_type":"report","language":"en","date_published":null,"source_url":"https://fsdafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/FI4R-Baseline-13072020ii_FINAL.pdf","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The report examines the financial lives of refugees in Uganda, focusing on the settlements of Nakivale, Bidibidi, Palorinya, and the capital, Kampala. It highlights a significant shift from regular employment to self-employment, with the share of refugees in regular jobs dropping from 25% in their home countries to 6% in Uganda. The average monthly income for refugees is 160,000 UGX, with Kampala having the highest median (205,000 UGX) and Palorinya the lowest (90,417 UGX). The study notes a strong adoption of new financial tools, specifically mobile money (increasing from 7% to 30%) and Accumulating Savings and Credit Associations (ASCAs). Women have shown significant economic progress, with their median monthly earnings nearly tripling from 46,000 UGX to 130,000 UGX. The report also identifies critical vulnerabilities, such as the high cost of charcoal and limited access to medical care, with 20% of refugees unable to afford necessary doctors or medicine.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000138#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"Refugees have experienced a sharp decline in regular employment since arriving in Uganda, with the share of those in regular jobs falling from 25% in their home countries to 6% in Uganda. This trend is most severe in Kampala, where 46% had regular jobs before leaving compared to only 7% now.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000138#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"There has been a significant transition toward self-employment; 52% of refugees now support themselves through small independent businesses, compared to 32% in their countries of origin. The highest rates of small business ownership are found in Bidibidi (80%) and Kampala (57%).","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000138#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The average monthly income for refugees is 160,000 UGX, though this varies by location, ranging from 90,000 UGX in Palorinya to 205,000 UGX in Kampala. In Kampala, high incomes are partly driven by remittances, with 54% of refugees receiving an average of 180,000 UGX per month.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000138#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Charcoal is the most significant regular expense for refugees, costing an average of 40,000 UGX per month and accounting for nearly half of all regular expenditures.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000138#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Refugees have rapidly adopted new financial instruments, with mobile money usage increasing from 7% in their countries of origin to 30% in Uganda. Additionally, 41% now use savings groups, with a strong preference for Accumulating Savings and Credit Associations (ASCAs) over Rotating Savings and Credit Associations (ROSCAs).","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000138#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Women refugees have demonstrated substantial economic growth, with their median monthly earnings nearly tripling from 46,000 UGX to 130,000 UGX. The proportion of women employed outside the home rose from 55% in their country of origin to 82% in Uganda.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000138#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Refugees generally possess higher education levels than their host communities, with 36% of refugees having a secondary education or above compared to 21% of the host community. This is most prominent in Kampala, where 68% of refugees have a secondary education or above.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000138#insight-7","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Access to healthcare remains a critical gap; 20% of refugees needed a doctor or medicine but were unable to obtain them, an event that occurred an average of six times per person in the past year.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000138#insight-8","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Refugees face specific risks related to digital finance, with 17% experiencing blocked SIM cards, resulting in an average loss of 30,000 UGX in mobile money.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000138#insight-9","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":["microfinance","poverty reduction"],"geography_discussed":["Kampala","Nakivale Refugee Settlement","Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement","Palorinya Refugee Settlement","Democratic Republic of the Congo","South Sudan","Somalia","Burundi","Rwanda"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["quantitative survey","comparative analysis","baseline study"]},{"id":"fsdafri-000148","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/fsdafri-000148","title":"Restoring Financial Trustworthiness: Inclusion Project for FDPs","publisher":{"name":"FSD Africa","organization":"fsd-africa"},"document_type":"fact sheet","language":"en","date_published":null,"source_url":"https://fsdafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/FSD-Africa-FI4R-20.03.24.pdf","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The Financial Inclusion for Refugees (FI4R) project, launched in 2019 by FSD Africa, FSD Uganda, and Access to Finance Rwanda, aims to provide financial services to forcibly displaced people (FDPs). In Uganda, the project supported Equity Bank Uganda Limited, Vision Fund Uganda, and the Rural Finance Initiative, resulting in over 93,300 households registering on a digital platform and 65,484 households receiving digital payments. In Rwanda, Equity Bank Rwanda opened 57,000 accounts for refugees. The project has helped overcome barriers such as insufficient documentation and lack of financial history, with updated regulations now allowing over 600,000 refugees with attestation letters to access mobile-enabled services in Uganda.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000148#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"The FI4R project established specific targets to enable over 100,000 refugees to access financial services via mobile phones and over 300,000 refugees to receive extended financial services, such as loans for businesses, farmers, and entrepreneurs, to promote job creation.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000148#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"In Uganda, the project supported three financial service providers: Equity Bank Uganda Limited (EBUL), Vision Fund Uganda (VFU), and Rural Finance Initiative (RUFI). Key outcomes include over 93,300 households registering on EBUL's digital platform, 65,484 households receiving digital payments, and the disbursement of UGX 10.8 billion in payments during Q1 2022 via eight humanitarian agencies.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000148#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"In Rwanda, Equity Bank Rwanda opened 57,000 accounts for refugees, with 25,000 of those accounts holding savings totaling GBP 1.07 million. The bank also facilitated 66,000 remittance transactions valued at GBP 1.7 million.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000148#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Regulatory changes in Uganda have significantly improved financial access; more than 600,000 refugees who lack government-issued IDs but possess attestation letters from the Office of the Prime Minister can now legally use mobile-enabled services in their own names.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000148#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The project observed an increase in the use of Accumulating Saving & Credit Associations (ASCAs) among refugees in Uganda, with enrollment rising from 35% at the start of the project to 46% at its conclusion.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"fsdafri-000148#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":["microfinance"],"geography_discussed":["Kampala","Nakivale Refugee Settlement","Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement","Palorinya Refugee Settlement","West Nile region","Eastern region of Africa"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["impact assessment"]}]}