Led by the people it serves

The founding

Marius Ziganira is an agronomist who arrived in Nakivale as a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2018. The settlement had plenty of experienced farmers. What it lacked was healthy soil, reliable seed, and institutions of its own.

With Australian physiotherapist and social innovator Owen Allen as board chair, he built UCF, a community-based organization where refugees hold the leadership roles, from the water project’s medical officer to the women’s entrepreneurship lead. International advisors help from abroad; decisions stay with the team in Nakivale.

Our vision

“Refugees are flourishing new societies with free and resilient refugee communities, who have access to means of education, training, and commerce as befits an independent and flourishing life.”

Where we work

Nakivale Refugee Settlement (established 1958) is one of the world’s oldest and largest: ≈200,000 refugees plus roughly 40,000 Ugandan nationals across 74 villages in three zones: Juru, Base Camp, Rubondo. Aid budgets are shrinking while the population grows, so UCF puts its effort into enterprises and institutions that can outlast any single grant.