The consequences on the ground are devastating. Food aid has been drastically reduced, mental health care has all but disappeared, and teachers work without pay in front of classes of more than 180 children. Women like Mwamini Maombi, who fled Congo after violence that claimed her youngest child and her father, can now feed her children only once a day — if she finds anything at all. Stress, conflict and suicide are on the rise across the camps.
While funding has nearly halved over the past six years and only six percent of the required budget is secured for 2026, the number of refugees continues to rise—an average of 600 per day. Meanwhile, Europe prefers to invest in stopping migrants rather than in international aid that has helped sustain reception efforts in the region. Professor Kristof Titeca warns that insufficient thought has been given to how Uganda and the refugees can survive without Western support, while returning to the conflict zones is not an option for most.
