Impact of Self-Reliance Strategy on Displaced People’s Livelihoods: A Case of Women and Children at Nakivale Refugees’ Settlement in Uganda.

Abbas, Mugisha (2022) Impact of Self-Reliance Strategy on Displaced People’s Livelihoods: A Case of Women and Children at Nakivale Refugees’ Settlement in Uganda. Doctoral thesis, The Open University of Tanzania.

Microsoft Word - Submitted Version Download (7MB)

Abstract

This study examined the impact of self-reliance strategy on women and children refugees’ livelihoods in Nakivale Settlement. Specifically, this study assessed the factors influencing refugee dependence on humanitarian aid, the factors influencing refugees’ vulnerability to sexual harassment, self-reliance activities and their associated socio economic challenges in Nakivale Settlement; and ways of solving the socio-economic challenges that affect self-reliance strategy management. The study used a mixed research approach where both qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Multistage random sampling technique was used to select households, refugee welfare council members, OPM officials, humanitarian workers, teachers, women and children refugees. Household survey questionnaires, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, observation and documentary literature review were used in data collection. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression, while qualitative data was analyzed using thematic and content analysis. The study found that 56 percent of the households are involved in farming and crop production. It was further found that self-reliance strategy has a significant negative effect on vulnerability to sexual harassment, some girls were found not safe because of being forced to early marriages by their parents. The study findings also reveal that 7.3 percent of households were actively involved in some economic activities like crop production and businesses; other challenges encountered included; lack of skills, capital and absence of opportunities. The study recommends that these challenges could be solved by enabling refugees to access financial services like loans that will see them empowered instead of depending on handouts. Refugees can be trained in different skills to enable them start their own livelihood activities. The study concludes that the impact of self-reliance is significantly felt especially depending on how long these refugees have been in the settlement. Keywords: Self-reliance, Refugees, Livelihoods, Displaced People, Settlement

Actions (login required)

View Item