Running on empty: Energy access and the limits of self-reliance in Imvepi Refugee settlement
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2025-08-13
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nl
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Uganda hosts the highest number of displaced persons in Africa and ranks third globally. In response, the country has adopted the Self-Reliance Strategy (SRS), which emphasizes local resource use and integration of refugees into host communities. This strategy is internationally praised and seen as one of the most progressive refugee policies in the world.
However, the dependency on local natural resources leads to loss in biomass, as both refugees and host populations rely on natural resources such as firewood to meet their basic energy needs. Yet, despite this reliance, 89% of refugee populations in the country lack access to the most basic energy services. Energy is essential for cooking, lighting and daily survival, making it central, yet often overlooked, in self-reliance approaches. This reveals a significant research gap in understanding the role of energy in fostering sustainable self-reliance for displaced populations.
This research aims to address this gap by investigating how refugees in Imvepi Refugee Settlement in Terego District, in the West Nile region of Uganda navigate energy scarce conditions and how this affects the sustainable development of livelihoods in the settlement. By examining energy cultures at a micro-level and exploring how these energy practices interact with broader policies and structures, this research argues that energy is a missing link on the discourse of refugee self-reliance.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen