In Uganda, the SMILES project, implemented by AVSI with funding from IKEA Foundation, helps refugees and host communities in Kyegegwa district follow a structured path out of extreme poverty. Based on the Graduation Approach, the project combines training, coaching, access to credit, and market linkages to turn the most vulnerable into key drivers of local development.
The initiative addresses a particularly complex context: in Kyegegwa, more than 135,000 refugees live alongside some 250,000 host community members in a district where four out of five people depend on agriculture. This density puts enormous pressure on land, forests, and basic services, further worsened by climate change and by recent cuts to international aid, particularly from USAID and the World Food Programme.
Through SMILES, families receive an initial safety net, agricultural or business training, and personalized coaching. Within just 24 months, participants have “graduated” from extreme poverty, moving from subsistence farming to selling surplus produce, improving their diet, paying school fees, and reinvesting in their businesses. As Rita Larok, who has worked on graduation programs for over fifteen years, explains:
“Graduation is not just about income, it’s about dignity, confidence, and the ability to plan for the future.”
A distinctive feature of SMILES is its connection to the market. Local companies provide high-quality products and training, ensuring that farmers can increase productivity and become reliable clients in the long term. This market oriented strategy helps sustain results beyond the project’s timeframe, reducing dependency on aid and building pathways to self-reliance –proving that, indeed, in Uganda you can “graduate your way out of poverty".
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