The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has announced a $10 million grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation to implement a three-year project designed to improve early childhood development and job opportunities among refugees and their host communities in Uganda.

The Kulea Watoto initiative—which means “nurturing children” in Swahili—will use a two-generation approach to reach children under the age of 5 and their caregivers in the rural districts of Yumbe and Kyegegwa near the border shared with the Democratic Republic of the Congo as well as in the Ugandan capital, Kampala. The project will support efforts to provide nurturing care, links to children’s services, and early learning opportunities for refugee children, while also offering refugee parents employable skills and livelihood training and start-up funding for promising business ideas. The program is planned as a collaboration with established local partners including the AfriChild Centre, Madrasa Early Childhood Programme, Kabarole Research and Resource Centre, and Literacy and Adult Basic Education.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and exciting local partners in Uganda to support post-conflict and refugee communities in their journey to safety and self-reliance,” said Caroline Lai, IRC deputy director of programs at the Uganda country program. “The Kulea Watoto project provides the chance to further explore integrated programs that work across crisis response, peacebuilding, as well as economic and early childhood development.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Moyo Studio)