In the dim glow of torchlight, Esperance Musekura and her husband, Pascal Nvuyekure, residents of Itambabiniga Central, Kyaka II Refugee Settlement in Western Uganda, dreamt of brighter days.
With each purchase of a mini handheld torch every week, the strain on the couple’s finances deepened, and the situation filled them with a sense of longing and frustration, wondering if their children could ever be as happy as others with access to lighting and all its benefits.
Esperance’s household background
Esperance and Pascal originally met in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2011, got married that same year, and gave birth to their first child on Palm Sunday in 2012. However, the couple was forcefully displaced to Uganda by political instability.
I survived two kidnapping attempts; while my wife was kidnapped for two days before she escaped
explained Pascal.
In July 2019, the family fled to Uganda where they faced inadequacies such as food, accommodation, land for cultivation, water, and struggled with malaria, diarrhoea, and skin rash. They resorted to casual labour in exchange for raw foods such as cassava and green bananas. In 2021, Pascal travelled to Kampala, the capital city of Uganda in search of greener pastures, where he later served as a local security guard.
We would divide the food earned from the host community into two batches: one to feed us at home and we sold the other batch
stated Pascal.
In February 2023, Pascal returned to their home in Kyaka II Refugee Settlement due to their son’s health condition — an infection caused by fever that had affected him, and he needed urgent medical attention. He spent almost all his salary savings on their son’s treatment and care and food for the family. With the amount left — UGX 210,000 (50 Euros) — he purchased three piglets in order to improve the household’s livelihood.
The turning point: the enrolment in the SMILES project
In July 2023, their household was enrolled in the Sustainable Market Livelihood Pathways to Self-Reliance (SMILES) project, where they participated in Village Saving and Loans Association, Farmer Field and Business School, and Coaching sessions. Additionally, they received a monthly cash stipend of UGX 78,000 (20 Euros) to support their household with food and other basic needs.
“It’s a good thing to save small amounts as much as one can afford. I now save up to UGX 6,000 (2 Euros) per week, and I am more financially responsible. We have learnt better farming practices and the rearing of livestock. The coaching sessions taught us to raise our children better without whipping them,” said Esperance.
The couple currently save UGX 50,000 (13 Euros) per month in a community cash round. They also invested UGX 100,000 (25 Euros) in capital from personal savings and a loan of UGX 50,000 (13 Euros) from the Village Saving and Loans Association in December 2023 to start a produce business selling maize.
“We plan to use the cash-round money of UGX 500,000 (125 Euros) to roof our house with iron sheets and get rid of the tarpaulin,” declared Pascal.
The topic of ‘Basics of Gender’ during coaching sessions further augmented respect in their marriage, enhanced their joint decision-making, encouraged them to share household responsibilities, and improved their nutrition through maintaining a balanced diet daily.
Pascal and Esperance borrowed UGX 430,000 (107 Euros) from the SMILES project Village Saving and Loans Association in addition to the UGX 105,000 (26 Euros) from their monthly cash stipend for their basic needs. They used the money to purchase solar equipment, a television, a music system to provide entertainment for their children, and a weighing scale for their produce business.
No longer reliant on the neighbours, Esperance and Pascal’s children found solace at home. They also plan to educate their children and grow their produce business by renting a room in the trading centre for easy access to passers-by and boosting their clientele.
About the SMILES project
The Sustainable Market Inclusive Livelihood Pathways to Self-Reliance (SMILES) project is a five-year (November, 2022 – October, 2027) initiative funded by the IKEA Foundation. The project works with 14,000 households (extremely poor refugee and host community) comprising 70,000 individuals in Kyaka II and Kyangwali Refugee Settlements in Western Uganda with the aim of supporting them to become resilient.
The project delivers a graduation model integrated with a Market System Development approach targeting women and youth and their household members. Key sectors include livelihoods, agriculture, food security, protection, energy and environment. The project is implemented by AVSI Foundation in partnership with UNHCR and the Office of the Prime Minister and in a consortium with Innovations for Poverty Action, Renewable Energy, Powering Agriculture and Rural Livelihoods Enhancement (REPARLE), Makerere University Kampala, and DAI Global LLC.