Building Inclusive Economies
for Refugee Entrepreneurs
We are a social enterprise dedicated to the 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.
Formal markets remain inaccessible despite legal rights to work
The LINK Sequence
From informal survival to formal economic life through trust and sequenced support.
Onboard & Verify
Walk into our Balintuma Road Hub or access us via mobile. We verify your refugee status and language needs.
Build & Credential
We translate grit into opportunity. Whether you built houses in Congo or ran a business in Somalia, we don’t just verify your past—we turn it into a verified, shareable credential. Beyond that, we provide hands‑on strategic advisory, networking, and scaling support so your next chapter outshines your last.
Activate & LINK
- Job Seeker? Matched to vetted employers
- Entrepreneur? Business registration & incubation support
- Need Finance? We make you lendable
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.
Stanbic Bank
MOU Signed — Landmark collaborative framework for refugee economic empowerment. Business clinics, digital payments, business registration support.
KIVA & UGAFODE
Longitudinal study of UGAFODE refugee clients in Kyangwali Settlement. RefugeeLINK conducts baseline, midline, and endline assessments.
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
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
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
Our People, Our Leadership
Refugee-proximate leadership is the operational foundation of trust.
10+ years in sustainable development. Former advisor to Mastercard Foundation, World Bank. Dual lens of legal expertise and grassroots development.
5+ years in fragility & conflict contexts. Behavioral insights ensure programs are adopted and sustained.
Former Financial Inclusion Officer, Opportunity Bank. Bridges formal financial systems and refugee communities.
Converts early-stage refugee enterprises into scalable ventures. 10+ years in Kakuma Camp.
Selected Institutional Team
Expertise in legal structuring, land, and refugee law. Ensures compliance and governance.
Oversees digital marketing, web platforms, and IT infrastructure to keep our hub connected.
Experienced protection officer with deep UNHCR Level 3 registration background.
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
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.
No Posts Found!
Building Bridges, Building Futures
© 2025 link4refugeesolutions | Developed by Kevin Kusiima
Our Approach
Verify Skills
Build Capacity
Bridge to Markets
Scale Impact