TACOMA, Washington — Since 2022, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the FC Barcelona Foundation have partnered to support sports programs for refugee children in Uganda. These programs focus on children living in the Oruchinga and Nakivale refugee camps. The project creates safe spaces for children to play and learn while providing information on violence prevention and gender equity. According to the UNHCR, the program has benefited more than 5,000 refugees in Uganda through sports-based initiatives.
In March 2025, Mexican actor and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Alfonso Herrera joined the FC Barcelona Foundation to visit the Oruchinga and Nakivale refugee camps. The trip allowed the visitors to see firsthand how the initiative has empowered refugee children living in the camps in Uganda. “I have been touched by the incredible impact that sport can have on the lives of refugees,” Herrera said during the week-long visit.
Uganda’s Role in Hosting Refugees
Uganda hosts more refugees than any other African country. It has become a lifeline for people fleeing conflict in South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan. Despite the country’s generosity in accepting refugees from neighboring nations, Uganda lacks adequate funding and resources to support its more than one million refugees. As of 2024, the country had received only 46% of the necessary funding for its 2024-2025 refugee response plan.
The Oruchinga and Nakivale Refugee Camps
Located in the southern district of Isingiro and separated by roughly 15 kilometers, the Oruchinga and Nakivale refugee camps are among the oldest in the country. Nakivale was founded as a refugee settlement in 1960 and is home to more than 130,000 people. Oruchinga, established in the early 1960s, primarily shelters refugees from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.
Overcrowding and a lack of resources have made it difficult for children in both camps to access quality education, health care and vocational training. A 2017 UNHCR report found that medical services in the camps were limited, citing insufficient medication and a lack of comprehensive emergency and maternal health services. A 2018 survey of Nakivale residents also revealed that refugees lacked access to affordable medicine and specialized doctors.
In addition, local schools are understaffed, educational materials are scarce and overcrowded classrooms have led to high dropout rates. In Oruchinga, 88% of refugees ages 14 to 17 are not enrolled in school. Limited economic opportunities and vocational training also hinder the prospects of refugee children in the settlements. Many families rely on informal economies and subsistence farming. However, refugees in Oruchinga have reported that a lack of credit and work opportunities is among the most significant challenges to their livelihoods.
Barca Foundation Program Offers Hope
The FC Barcelona Foundation originated in 1994 to support vulnerable children through sports and community-based programming. It works with the United Nations (U.N.) to further the Sport for Development Goals. The foundation now benefits more than 460,000 children worldwide. The joint initiative supported by the Barca Foundation and UNHCR “leverages the transformative power of sport to uplift refugee children.” It does so through structured sports programming that promotes mental health, social inclusion and violence prevention.
Despite refugee children’s challenges in Uganda, the FC Barcelona Foundation and UNHCR partnership provide hope and opportunity through sports initiatives. During her week-long visit, Dr. Marta Segú, Director General of the Barca Foundation, was inspired by the program’s progress. “We’ve seen the positive impact that sport can have as a tool for improving the lives of children. Sport is a tool that’s magical in the moment and even more so for the future.”
The organization’s program primarily targets children who are not attending school. It provides them with information on “protection, gender equity, as well as access to community inclusion activities through sports events.” Music and sport join forces to support refugees and displaced people affected by the climate crisis. The Barca Foundation and Herrera’s visit highlighted how the work has provided new opportunities to displaced people in the camps.
“I’ve met a lot of young refugees who are facing mental health challenges. Through sport, they have found belonging and community. Sport is also an excellent way to prevent early school drop-out,” said Herrera. Beyond its sports programming, the project also offers newly arrived refugees essential support such as food, water and shelter.
Final Remarks
FC Barcelona’s work in Uganda is part of a larger effort to offer Sport-For-Protection activities to refugee communities in Colombia, Malaysia, El Salvador and Türkiye. Music and sport join forces to support refugees and displaced people affected by the climate crisis. The Sport-For-Protection approach capitalizes on sport’s ability to engage young people, allowing them to develop social skills and connect with community mentors.
According to UNHCR, the purpose of Sport-For-Protection is to provide all young people with opportunities to build their individual skills, capacities and resources. Using football as a catalyst for change, the partnership between UNHCR and the Barca Foundation in the Oruchinga and Nakivale refugee camps continues to inspire hope and create opportunities for refugee children in Uganda.
– Willem Quigley
Willem is based in Tacoma, WA, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Unsplash