Underfunded Early Childhood Development Program Threatens Refugee Children's Growth

Early Childhood Development (ECD) initiatives in Uganda are severely underfunded, receiving less than two percent of the Ministry of Education and Sports’ total budget. This falls far short of the national policy aspiration of 10 percent, according to Dr. Cleophas Mugenyi, Commissioner for Basic Education.

This chronic underfunding is a significant factor contributing to the alarming rates of developmental issues among young children, particularly refugee populations. Statistics from 2024 indicate that over one million refugee children under the age of five are experiencing stunting. Furthermore, 48 percent of these children are developmentally off-track, with an overwhelming 80 percent of their parents unable to afford ECD services due to financial constraints.

The National Development Plan IV (2025-2030) identifies ECD as a crucial pillar for human capital development, aiming for universal access by 2030. However, the current funding levels pose a substantial obstacle to achieving this goal.

In response, the second phase of the Kulea Watoto program, a two-generation initiative, has been launched. This program targets both children and their caregivers, focusing on enhancing early learning, health, and development for children, while simultaneously building the capacity and resilience of parents and guardians. The approach recognizes that a child’s development is intrinsically linked to their home environment and the quality of their early interactions.

Timothy Opobo, Executive Director of AfriChild, emphasized the effectiveness of the two-generation approach, stating it is superior to single-approach interventions because children’s outcomes are deeply intertwined with their home settings, making proximal caregiver interactions critical. This phase of Kulea Watoto will run from April 2026 to March 2029, aiming to impact 400 households in Kampala and 600 households in the Bidi Bidi refugee settlement in Yumbe district.