YAREN team members and programme participants

Community Led. Refugee founded.

YAREN is a youth-led Ugandan organisation helping refugees and vulnerable communities turn skills, ideas and opportunity into self reliant futures.

Our story

Built from lived experience.

YAREN grew from founder Muganuzi Mushongole Adonis's work supporting peaceful coexistence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. After displacement brought him to Uganda in 2015, he continued working alongside refugee youth and women.

That experience led to YAREN's establishment in 2017, formerly the Young African Refugees Entrepreneurs Network. Its work connects socioeconomic empowerment with innovation, entrepreneurship, education and mental health.

Today, the organisation operates from Ndejje Kanaaba, Makindye Ssabagabo in Kampala and works with refugees and host communities through practical, community-owned programmes.

2017

YAREN established

7,500+

People reached

11+

Active initiatives

Our values

What guides our work.

These principles shape how YAREN listens, works with communities and measures meaningful progress.

Dignity

We treat every person as capable, resourceful and deserving of respect in every programme and decision.

Community ownership

People closest to a challenge help shape the response, so solutions remain useful and locally led.

Practical opportunity

We focus on skills, tools and pathways that people can use to strengthen their lives and livelihoods.

Accountability

We communicate honestly, use resources responsibly and stay answerable to communities and partners.

Inclusion

Our work makes room for refugees, women, young people and vulnerable communities to participate fully.

Resilience

We build on people’s strengths and support lasting confidence, stability and Self Reliance.

Our vision

To create a better society by improving self resilience among refugees and vulnerable populations.

Our mission

We train and empower refugees and vulnerable populations with skills to become self reliant.

How we work

Three connected pillars.

Each programme is designed around income, capability and stability the foundations communities need for durable change.

Income generation

Practical training in tailoring, crafts, agriculture, entrepreneurship and digital skills, linked to work and enterprise.

Capacity building

Business literacy, financial management, leadership and mentorship that help people build lasting futures.

Community stability

Clean water, psychosocial support, health outreach and safe spaces that protect dignity while communities grow.

Muganuzi Adonis, YAREN Executive Director

The founder

Muganuzi Mushongole Adonis

Founder & Executive Director

His journey from community peacebuilding in South Kivu to rebuilding life as a refugee in Uganda shaped a model grounded in dignity, practical opportunity and local leadership.

Read the founder's story

Our people