Alexander Betts, Louise Bloom, Josiah Kaplan, and Josiah Naohiko
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- December 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780198795681
- eISBN:
- 9780191836985
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198795681.003.0006
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Public and Welfare
This chapter examines refugee economies in the context of two long-standing refugee settlements in south-west Uganda: Nakivale and Kyangwali. It begins by describing the structure of the settlements, ...
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This chapter examines refugee economies in the context of two long-standing refugee settlements in south-west Uganda: Nakivale and Kyangwali. It begins by describing the structure of the settlements, their history, and the lives of their inhabitants, and then explains their governance structure. These refugees face a distinctive institutional and regulatory environment compared to host nationals, which creates both opportunities and constraints. While the majority are farmers and rarely leave the settlements, there is also often neglected diversity in terms of refugees’ economic lives. A small but significant number engage in innovation and entrepreneurship, creating opportunities for themselves and others, and even contributing public goods. For the Somali community, which shuns all agricultural work, entrepreneurship is a way of life. Crucially, far from being isolated, the settlements are connected to nearby cities (Mbarara and Hoima) as well as Kampala, through refugee and Ugandan brokers. The chapter investigates variation in these outcomes.Less
This chapter examines refugee economies in the context of two long-standing refugee settlements in south-west Uganda: Nakivale and Kyangwali. It begins by describing the structure of the settlements, their history, and the lives of their inhabitants, and then explains their governance structure. These refugees face a distinctive institutional and regulatory environment compared to host nationals, which creates both opportunities and constraints. While the majority are farmers and rarely leave the settlements, there is also often neglected diversity in terms of refugees’ economic lives. A small but significant number engage in innovation and entrepreneurship, creating opportunities for themselves and others, and even contributing public goods. For the Somali community, which shuns all agricultural work, entrepreneurship is a way of life. Crucially, far from being isolated, the settlements are connected to nearby cities (Mbarara and Hoima) as well as Kampala, through refugee and Ugandan brokers. The chapter investigates variation in these outcomes.
