In 2022, the number of forcibly-displaced people worldwide surpassed 100 million – the highest number in history. “Refugee Lens Investing” (RLI), as defined by RIN, presents the best framework and entry point for investments that can leverage ongoing socio-economic development efforts and partnerships to respond to refugee and host community pain points as well as opportunities.
This white paper uses a sector-specific “priority business model” approach to identify the two highest impact models of business for RLI in Uganda: (1) Adding value to products and (2) Access to larger markets and brands. With these models in mind, RIN selected nine key Ugandan business sectors to conduct sector analysis with examples of active players that point to areas for partnership and investment.
Accompanying each of the high-impact business models, this report presents models and examples of how RIN’s refugee-investing lens can be used to identify, segment, and measure stakeholder engagement and impact. We also feature a pipeline of specific market actors and potential RLI partners to suggest avenues for engaging Uganda’s refugee or host communities.
With a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities for RLI in Uganda, we hope to see interested parties join forces to cultivate an ecosystem that promotes economic growth and durable self-reliance for millions of refugees and their Ugandan hosts.