Over 70 refugee entrepreneurs gathered in Kampala on February 17, 2026, for a transformative moment in Uganda’s economic inclusion landscape....
Women-led • Refugee-led • Market-Driven
Building Inclusive Economies
Building Inclusive Economies
for Refugee Entrepreneurs
We are a social enterprise dedicated to economic empowerment of refugees and host communities in Uganda. LINK stands for Livelihoods, Inclusion, Networking and Knowledge.
Our Mission
To move displaced entrepreneurs from informal survival to formal economic life through trust, psychosocial resilience, and deliberately sequenced support.
Uganda grants refugees the right to work, but the market excludes them. Banks see "no history." Employers see "risk." Refugees see skills that aren't recognized.
The gap isn't capacity. It is credibility.
System Locked
Formal markets remain inaccessible despite legal rights to work
The LINK Sequence
From informal survival to formal economic life through trust and sequenced support.
1
Onboard & Verify
Walk into our Balintuma Road Hub or access us via mobile. We verify your refugee status and language needs.
No biometrics. Strict data privacy.
2
Build & Credential
We validate your experience. Whether you built houses in Congo or ran a business in Somalia, we create a portable profile and provide business development support.
Portable, auditable digital profile
3
Activate & LINK
- Job Seeker? Matched to vetted employers
- Entrepreneur? Business registration & incubation support
- Need Finance? We make you lendable
Our Commitment
10,000
Refugee Entrepreneurs in Pipeline by 2027
From incorporation to 1000 pilot clients in 9 months — with institutional partnerships, government recognition, and a scalable model.
Barriers We Break
Systemic challenges that keep refugee entrepreneurs from thriving.
Access to Finance
80%+ identify inadequate capital as their biggest barrier.
Market Access
Struggle to find reliable customers; high competition.
Skills & Digital Gaps
Need financial management, record-keeping, digital marketing.
Safety & Exploitation
Face discrimination, exploitation, non-payment.
Strategic Partnerships
Global expertise + refugee-proximate local knowledge = scalable economic integration.
Accion International
Strategic Alliance — RIPE Project: Refugee Inclusion Pipeline for Economic Empowerment. Onboard & verify 750 unique refugees in Greater Kampala.
Financial Inclusion
Systems Thinking
Stanbic Bank
MOU Signed — Landmark collaborative framework for refugee economic empowerment. Business clinics, digital payments, business registration support.
Banking
Financial Literacy
KIVA & UGAFODE
Longitudinal study of UGAFODE refugee clients in Kyangwali Settlement. RefugeeLINK conducts baseline, midline, and endline assessments.
Research
Impact Measurement
Opportunity Bank
OBUL is conducting a fixed-term, high-volume onboarding sprint at our hub to rapidly activate refugee clients, transitioning to a self-sustaining referral pipeline once the initial drive concludes
Financial Inclusion
Digital Platforms
The ACCESS Project
Multi-layered hub infrastructure for training, digital experience, and community trust.
Business Training Center
- Employability — CV writing, platform navigation
- Enterprise — Business plans, digital marketing
- Integration — Language learning, legal rights
Digital Experience Center
- Digital identity updates
- Digital labor marketplace access
- MSME registration support
Our People, Our Leadership
Refugee-proximate leadership is the operational foundation of trust.
Evelyn Zake
Director
LLB (Edinburgh), LLM (Cornell). 10+ years in sustainable development. Former advisor to Mastercard Foundation, World Bank. Dual lens of legal expertise and grassroots development.
Damalie Tebajjukira
Director
Psychology background. Human-centred design leadership. 5+ years in fragility & conflict contexts. Behavioral insights ensure programs are adopted and sustained.
Leon Kalonda
Operations Lead
Refugee leader from DRC. Former Financial Inclusion Officer, Opportunity Bank. Bridges formal financial systems and refugee communities.
Peter Garang
MSME Solutions Lead
14+ years with displaced communities. Converts early-stage refugee enterprises into scalable ventures. 10+ years in Kakuma Camp.
Our Services
First-mile support in-house. Specialized partners for scale.
Business & Entrepreneurship
- MSME incubation support
- Market readiness & linkages
- Digital skills development
- Collaboration with MUBS
Financial Inclusion
- Accion International program
- Stanbic & Opportunity Bank partnerships
- LINK Pamoja SACCO
- Financial literacy training
Stakeholder Engagement & Research
- First-mile support & network creation
- Phygital platform at Resource Centre
- Georgetown University collaboration
- KIVA international research
Data & Safeguards
We do not harvest data. We protect identity.
Data Minimization
We collect only what is necessary for economic participation.
Revocable Consent
You own your data. You can delete it. You can revoke access.
No Biometrics
We verify via UNHCR/Government ID. We do not store biometrics.
No Sharing
Never shared with Immigration/Law Enforcement.
Alignment: Uganda Data Protection Act (2019), UNHCR standards, GDPR principles
Get Involved
For Refugees
Are you 18–35? Do you have skills looking for a credible platform?
Balintuma Road, Kampala
Cost: Free for verified refugees
For Employers
Stop guessing. Start hiring verified talent. We reduce your recruitment risk.
- Pre-vetted candidates
- Sector-specific skills
For Banks
Database of credit-ready, documented refugees. Reduced compliance burden.
For Partners
We are operational. We are profitable. We are ready to scale beyond pilots.
- All
- Blog
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On 19th November 2025, RefugeeLink held a structured Client Listening and Feedback Session at its premises on Balintuma Road, bringing...
A quiet revolution is reshaping the landscape of refugee support across East Africa, and Uganda stands as a pioneering...
The global landscape of the 21st century has been profoundly shaped by a surge in refugee numbers, a reality felt...
Building Bridges, Building Futures
© 2025 link4refugeesolutions | Developed by Kevin Kusiima
Our Approach
Verify Skills
Build Capacity
Bridge to Markets
Scale Impact
Contacts
Plot 669 Balintuma Road,
Senkatuka Close, Mengo,
Kampala, Uganda