EU, WFP and GIZ launch energy and self-reliance programme to strengthen livelihoods in Uganda’s West Nile

The three-year, EUR 14 million programme, co-funded by the European Union and the Governments of Germany and Ireland, will support more than 33,000 people across five refugee-hosting districts. Of those reached, 70 percent will be refugees and 30 percent members of host communities, while women and girls will comprise 65 percent of participants.

ENSER responds to a shifting humanitarian landscape in Uganda. Following a prioritisation exercise in May 2025, driven by severe funding shortfalls, WFP was forced to cut food assistance for one million refugees and reduce rations for a further 784,000. Food insecurity and malnutrition have since worsened, with 920,000 refugees facing crisis-levels of hunger or worse and acute malnutrition up 82 percent.

The initiative will be implemented by WFP in partnership with Uganda's Office of the Prime Minister, which will lead the programme's self-reliance component. GIZ will manage the energy component in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD), supporting access to renewable-energy solutions that can drive local economic growth.

"Through ENSER, the European Union is investing in practical, durable solutions that improve lives and create opportunities for both refugees and host communities. By expanding access to clean energy and supporting economic inclusion, we are helping communities in West Nile strengthen self-reliance, resilience and local development," said Guillaume Chartrain, Charge d'Affaires of the European Union Delegation in Uganda.

As part of the initiative, WFP will strengthen household food security through cash-based safety nets and financial literacy, giving participants the stability to invest in productive activities.

"Access to finance, the right skills, and knowledge to navigate opportunities and affordable clean energy are the doors to achieving self-reliance," said Marcus Prior, WFP's Deputy Country Director in Uganda. "ENSER opens all four at once for vulnerable host communities and for refugees whose food rations have been reduced or whose assistance has been cut. We are not extending aid; we are shortening its lifespan."

GIZ will focus on market development for renewable energy and energy-efficiency technologies, leveraging digital solutions, vocational skilling, and capacity building so that energy assets for productive use translate into sustainable local businesses.

"Energy is the missing link in the transition from relief to recovery," said Lisa Hofheinz, GIZ's Project Lead in Uganda. "By placing solar-powered tools directly into the hands of entrepreneurs, we are not just providing electricity; we are decentralising opportunity and enabling these communities to bypass traditional economic barriers and become the primary drivers of their own regional development."

ENSER focuses on energy solutions for productive use, combined with financial support and skills development, enabling participants to process, store, and transport goods and access local and regional markets. Participants will also benefit from vocational training in trades such as tailoring, welding and information and communications technology. The initiative supports the Government of Uganda's Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV) 2025-2030 by supporting refugees and host communities to build sustainable livelihoods and contribute to local economic growth.

ENDS

About WFP: The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

About GIZ: The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is the German Government's main service provider for international cooperation. In Uganda, GIZ delivers scalable solutions in Rural Development, Governance, and Energy and Climate. GIZ combines long-term presence and trusted policy dialogue with hands-on implementation, mobilising investment and building partner capacities to drive sustainable, impactful, and inclusive development across Uganda.