Monitoring and learning are essential to ensuring development projects remain relevant, effective, and responsive to community needs. Last week, partners implementing the STRENGTH Project came together for a joint monitoring visit across project areas in Northern Uganda to assess progress, engage with stakeholders, and gather valuable feedback from the communities the project serves.
Implemented by ADRA Uganda and Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU) with funding from the Danish International Development Agency (Danida), the STRENGTH Project supports communities in Acholi and Karamoja to build resilience to climate change through sustainable livelihoods, gender-transformative approaches, and peacebuilding initiatives.
The monitoring visit brought together representatives from ADRA Uganda, RHU, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), UNHCR, district local governments, and other stakeholders. Discussions focused on strengthening collaboration, reviewing project achievements, identifying challenges, and ensuring that interventions continue to respond to the realities faced by both refugee and host communities.
Speaking during the visit, RHU Executive Director Jackson Chekweko emphasized that community feedback is at the heart of the project’s continuous improvement.
“We are here to listen to feedback from the community. One year into the implementation of the project, we want to hear directly from the people we serve, what has worked well, the challenges they have experienced, and where we can improve. Their voices are central to ensuring that our interventions remain relevant and impactful.”
He noted that RHU’s Gender Transformative Approach aims to empower women while promoting equitable decision-making and strengthening communities’ capacity to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
ADRA Uganda Programme Director Benon Baabumba reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to learning from communities and partners throughout the implementation process.
“We are here to listen, learn, and improve. We value both the appreciation and the constructive criticism because it helps us understand what is working, what needs improvement, and how we can serve communities better.”
Representatives from government institutions and UNHCR commended the strong collaboration between implementing partners and highlighted the importance of coordinated efforts in supporting both refugees and host communities. They noted that strengthening livelihoods, promoting climate-smart agriculture, and fostering peaceful coexistence are critical to building resilient communities in refugee-hosting districts.
District leaders also emphasized that climate change continues to pose significant challenges, including environmental degradation and deforestation, making initiatives such as the STRENGTH Project increasingly important for the future of both people and the environment.
The joint monitoring visit provided an important opportunity to reflect on progress made during the first year of implementation while identifying practical ways to strengthen the project’s impact. By listening to community voices and working closely with government and humanitarian partners, the STRENGTH Project continues to promote inclusive, climate-resilient, and sustainable development across Northern Uganda.