Not For Sale’s people work in Uganda centers on western Uganda’s refugee settlements, where hundreds of thousands of people displaced by conflict in the DRC, South Sudan, and Burundi have rebuilt their lives with almost nothing. In Uganda, the people work is inseparable from the planet and social innovation work below, because communities that own their own livelihoods do not become trafficking statistics.
By the numbers
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People supported since 2007
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Survivors and at-risk individuals served directly
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Reached through prevention and community programs
What We Found
Uganda hosts over 1.5 million refugees, one of the largest refugee populations in the world. The country’s progressive refugee policy allows settlement and some economic participation, but in practice, most refugees arrive with nothing and face severe barriers to employment, education, and self-sufficiency. Land loss, under-compensation from oil extraction and pipeline construction (Tilenga, Kingfisher, EACOP), and climate stress push both host communities and refugees into debt, informal labor, and cross-border migration where trafficking risk is high.
Not For Sale’s Uganda Director, TK (Ntakamaze Nziyonvira), is himself originally from the DRC, a leader who understands displacement not as a case study but as a lived experience.
What We Set Out to Do
Provide education, housing, agricultural training, and entrepreneurship pathways for refugees and host communities in western Uganda, building self-sufficiency rather than aid dependency.
What We Have Built
Education: Not For Sale Uganda operates educational facilities supporting over 1,500 learners in both primary and secondary schools near the Kyangwali refugee camp. The school serves refugees from the DRC and surrounding communities.
The Entrepreneurship Challenge: Each year, Not For Sale hosts a four-day entrepreneurship training and pitch competition. Young people from refugee settlements apply (400+ applicants for 30 spots), develop business ideas, and pitch them to a panel. Not For Sale seed-funds every idea. The top three winners receive the equivalent of two years of salary. Ongoing mentorship and support continue after the event.
Farmer cooperatives: Not For Sale supports agricultural cooperatives that provide training on modern farming techniques, financial literacy, and market access, replacing subsistence survival with structured economic participation.
The Entrepreneurship Challenge: Turning Refugees into Founders
Not For Sale’s social innovation work in Uganda is the clearest demonstration that the Impact Stack works in a refugee context. The Entrepreneurship Challenge does not train people for jobs that do not exist. It creates founders.
The Model
The Entrepreneurship Challenge is a design-to-action workshop modeled on the Montara Circle that produced REBBL in Peru. Four days of intensive business training culminate in a pitch competition. Not For Sale seed-funds every idea presented. The top three winners receive the equivalent of two years of salary, enough to launch a real business, not just a plan.
Not For Sale then maintains ongoing support, mentorship, and training for all participants. The result is not a single event but a growing network of refugee-led businesses that employ others, generate income, and reduce the economic desperation that traffickers exploit.
Farmer cooperatives: Agricultural cooperatives have expanded pineapple and cassava production, increased household savings, and improved financial literacy and operational capacity through Not For Sale training and seed funding. The same cooperative model runs in parallel in Rwanda.
Read the people section above, because in Uganda, educating children and seed-funding refugee entrepreneurs are all part of ending the same cycle.
This Labor Day, we honor the dedicated team at Not For Sale Uganda and our invaluable partners, sponsors, and donors. Your commitment ensures that refugee, internally displaced, and host community children and youth can stay in school and continue their education. As the second term approaches, your support is crucial. Help us keep more students learning without interruption. Join us. Support a student today: https://Not For Sale Uganda.org/donate.html.
We are looking for three dedicated individuals to join our team and grow with us. This opportunity could be yours, or someone you know who would be a great fit.
Create your account today, update your profile, and submit your application. If you’re already part of our network, simply log in and apply directly.
Explore open positions and take the next step: https://careers.ciyota.org/jobs.php
After nearly two decades as a refugee, Bahati continues to hold onto hope. Our Story Room series highlights the resilience of refugee communities and their determination to create change.
CIYOTA, a refugee-led organization, embodies this spirit every day. With your support, young girls and boys can stay in school and overcome the challenges stacked against them.
In Uganda and the DRC, we connect communities through education and agriculture. Fifty-eight primary school students transition to secondary education, while 190 take national exams. We launch 218 youth-led businesses, showcasing resilience and innovation.
In a refugee settlement in Uganda, the CIYOTA boys shine on the field, collecting trophies and building discipline. Their success stems from quality education paired with strong co-curricular activities. Each match they play proves that talent knows no boundaries.
Are you ready to challenge them? Let’s create opportunities for these students to thrive. Support their education and keep them in class.
This week, girls from five primary schools unite through the Breaking Barriers Project, hosted by CIYOTA. They engage in debates, drama, poetry, and dance, revealing their commitment to education and resilience against obstacles. “Our voices are strong,” they declare, showcasing their determination.
CIYOTA champions girls’ education, but we need more support to keep girls in school. How will you stand with these voices?
MEET BENSON WEREJE: A STORY OF RESILIENCE AND HOPE
At just 16 years old, Benson faced unimaginable trauma when his village was attacked. His journey from despair to finding safety in Uganda reflects the extraordinary resilience of the human spirit.
At CIYOTA, we build on this resilience by providing quality education to children and youth from refugee and host communities. With your support, a child can gain the essential tools they need to learn, grow, and shape a brighter future.
Donate today and become part of this powerful movement for change.
CIYOTA transforms an overcrowded school into a beacon of hope for secondary education. The Mistry Family fuels this growth, turning belief into action.
Watch the story unfold in just seven minutes. Join us in building a brighter future: https://ciyota.org/donate.html
BAHATI KANYAMANZA’S STORY IS A TESTAMENT TO RESILIENCE
At just 14 years old, Bahati fled war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and arrived in Uganda. There, he faced the harsh realities of life as a young refugee, grappling with uncertainty, displacement, and loss.
Yet instead of succumbing to despair, he transformed his experiences into action by co-founding CIYOTA to support others facing similar challenges.
His story reminds us that even in the face of hardship, collective strength can emerge. How will you join us in this fight for dignity?
During a transformative visit to CIYOTA Secondary School, our co-founders and Executive Director engaged directly with students in planting trees. This initiative transcends mere action; it embodies our commitment to environmental stewardship and experiential learning. Together, we cultivate not just trees, but a future where every action counts.
Join us in this vital movement, support the cause now!
At CIYOTA Secondary School, our co-founders and Executive Director join students in planting trees. This act showcases our commitment to the school’s environment and well-being. Students apply their learning through improved techniques, demonstrating progress and the strength of collective action.
How will you nurture education and the environment today?
When you sponsor a child from a refugee community, you enter their world. You share meals, offer guidance, and teach new skills. You become a role model, a steady presence, and a testament to what is possible. Together, we nurture the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs.
CIYOTA’s Early Childhood Development and Primary School has inspired seven other refugee schools across the Kyangwali Refugee Settlement. We also operate a secondary school and support three others, creating pathways to education for both refugee and host community learners.
Our strength lies in connection. We return to the communities we serve, listening, learning, and reflecting together.
During recent gatherings for the Breaking Barriers and Family Business for Education projects, participants shared their milestones, challenges, and successes, powerful reminders that real change is taking place every day.
Your support helps sustain this progress and expand opportunities for future generations.
KYANGWALI REFUGEE SETTLEMENT NOW HAS A SECONDARY SCHOOL
Before 2022, over 13,000 refugee youth had access to just one secondary school. Fewer than 1,000 could attend. CIYOTA and the Mistry Family refused to accept this reality. Together with Street Child, they built a second school, expanding enrollment from 148 to over 1,300 students in five years. The Mistry Family funded vital facilities, ensuring every child has a chance at education.
“Education opens the door to a better life.” These words resonate with CIYOTA students, reminding us that change is possible when we act together. How will you help change a child's story today?
EDUCATION BEGINS WITH A FAMILY’S FIGHT FOR A FUTURE
CIYOTA’s Family Business for Education model empowers refugee families with sustainable livelihoods, helping them keep their children in school and break the cycle of poverty.
Through our Back-to-School campaign, we are already seeing encouraging progress, with more students returning to the classroom and reclaiming their future through education.
Let’s keep this momentum going. Your support can make a lasting difference for a family today.
In a bustling community center, 150 women gather, ready to learn business skills that will sustain their families. Each woman represents a lifeline for 450 children, ensuring they access education. At CIYOTA, we witness how these women build resilience in their communities. “When women thrive, children stay in school,” one participant shares.
What role will you play in supporting these families?
In Uganda's refugee settlements, families struggle to keep their children in school. With dwindling land and reduced aid, many households face financial hardship. Our Sponsorship Program connects children with supporters who provide the resources they need to stay focused on their education. Sponsors meet their students, share meals, and inspire them to dream bigger.
Join us in keeping children in school and investing in their futures.
Over 1,500 students fill classrooms, 46% of them girls. In just three weeks, 304 new students join their ranks, driven and eager to learn. Your support nurtures their potential and keeps their hopes alive.
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY FOR 2025 UCE CANDIDATES EXTENDED
We invite hardworking students in Uganda facing financial challenges to apply for our 2026 secondary education scholarship. To qualify, applicants must have received grades A, B, or C in the 2025 UCE results.
Time is running out. Spread the word and help shape the future of these aspiring leaders.
