Arua CSO hub: An incubator for young change makers in Uganda

In Arua is a house that is not like many other houses. It hosts community based organisations from across the city in Northern Uganda. More than 40 organisations are linked to the hub and use it for their work - reaching thousands of people in and around Arua on many different topics. The Hub gives them a physical space to meet, collaborate with other organisations and grow their capacity. Dreamtown supports the hub which is led by our partners in Network for Active Citizens and Civil Society Strengthening Network. Over the pastyears, the hub has transformed the life of youth-led and supporting civil society in Arua. Read about it here, and meet some of the amazing people who make up the hub and create change in Arua.

Arua City: Young civil society navigating urban challenges

Arua City is located in Uganda's West Nile region and is emblematic of the complexities that urban centers face in accommodating all their urban citizens. With approximately 24% of its population consisting of self-settled refugees, the city grapples with strains on resources and services due to its proximity to conflict zones. Despite Uganda's open-door policy towards refugees, funding falls short, leaving many vulnerable in the urban setting, and lacking essential facilities and supplies. As Arua City navigates these challenges, innovative solutions and collaborative efforts are essential to address the diverse needs of all its residents.

The youth-led civil society in Arua plays a massive role. With one of the world’s youngest populations, Uganda has seen the emergence of an increasing number of youth groups and youth-led organisations. In Arua, youth-led CSOs deliver support and services to young people living in the city’s informal settlements and most vulnerable communities and are also crucial in linking refugees with host communities. However, they face constraints that restrict their outreach, capacity for learning and development potential. It is in this context that the CSO hub exists. Here, civil society organisations have a space to meet, other organisations to collaborate with and learn from each other.

Aldo is a hub manager from Network for Active Citizens and helps coordinate the organisations in Arua. He is also part of Host TV, which is a TV channel that airs live everyday from the hub. According to him, the CSO hub is a very timely idea, because it helps to open up the shrinking civic space that many organisations experience. “From the ideas of shared spaces, today we have seen the hub become one of the one stop point of reference for engaging CBOs in West Nile. We now have CBOs becoming key agents”. Several of the organisations in the hub have managed to join large partnerships with bigger and international organisations, including Care International, GIZ, Humanity Inclusion, Cities Allaince, and Outbox. This shows that from simply concept ideas and through the academy trainings, the empowerment offered to the organisations has helped them to new places.

“I am motivated by looking forward to see more partners to help push more the idea of the CSO Hub to a CSO Villa where we have a dedicated space for more CSOs.”

— Aldo Adomati

MERCY

When Mercy got blind due to a sickness, her life drastically changed, not only in a very physical sense and all the challenges that came with it, but also how she was perceived by the people around her. How the people around her, out of a feeling of protection, tried to keep her inside, protected form the outside world. She knew that this was not the life she wanted to lead. And she started to work towards a more inclusive society, to give people that are marginalised, due to disabilities or other reasons a voice and speak out about it. Mercy’s organisation is part of the hub - it’s called Women effort for inclusive Development.

“I really want to see an all inclusive society where if you see a person with disability, you look at a person first, not the impairment. I want to climb the ladders, be self reliant, and also give back to people, even without disabilities”

— Mercy Monicha Ocotoko

Hatipha

Hatipha Ayikoru is part of Community Empowerment for Transformative Action West Nile, one of the many organisation, who operate from the hub. Their work includes spreading knowledge and awareness to young people about issues such as teenage pregnancy and drug abuse. She has been going out to schools, addressing menstrual health. In the hub, she is engaged in the Education Cluster - with other organisations that also target schools in Arua. Here, the organisations collaborate on shared agendas, help each other, and pool their resources.

“What we do with youth is giving them empowerment, empowering them on how they can be resourceful people in the community”

— Hatipha Ayikoru

Godfrey

Godfrey is part of Host TV. They do digital broadcasts from the CSO hub online where they present a combination of news, talk shows, music and entertainment. They dream of training more young people who are unemployed and support them with job opportunities . For them, it is important to give young people the space to talk about what they want.

“We target the school dropouts, those who have not gone to the colleges. But they are ready to learn, so we bring them on board. We train them on the streaming software, we teach them videography, and teach them photography”

— Godfrey Andabati

The impact and journey forward

Embarking on a journey of youth empowerment and action, the organisations in the hub have unleashed a wave of projects through their Community Action Plans, which are driven by the collective vision of across various thematic areas, aligning with the National Youth Manifesto in Uganda. Over the past year, they have worked in clusters on youth employment - climate action - health - youth participation in decision making - and education.

Areas once cluttered with waste were transformed through the Free City from Waste initiative. Adolescent girls in Ayivu division were empowered with dignity and knowledge through menstrual hygiene and management programs. Voices often unheard were amplified, with projects to enhance participation of teenage mothers in decision making. Young farmers were trained in climate smart agriculture. Others gained digital literacy, and scaled up their academic performance. In total, just in 2023, more than 1000 people have been taking part in or benefitted from the work in the hub. These initiatives are about real, tangible change for community members in Arua. With each project, the CSOs are not just implementing solutions; they're building capacity and paving the way for more development. But perhaps the most remarkable aspect is the unity and collaboration that underpins it all. Despite differences, the organisations working in and out of the hub have come together, learning, growing, and thriving.

In Arua, the CSO Hub still stands as a vital resource for community-based organisations striving to make a difference. Our dream is simple but powerful: to ensure the sustainability of the hub so its amazing partners can continue to use for many years ahead. Our next steps are focused on actions that will solidify the hub and promote long-term sustainability. We plan to strengthen partnerships with local businesses, other organisations, and government to secure funding and resources. Additionally, we aim to implement training programmes that build the capacity of CSOs, equipping them with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly changing landscape. We have seen how big an impact it has to provide the shared space as a platform in Arua - and we are confident that the CSO Hub will continue to serve as a catalyst for positive change in the city.