From Violence to Peace: How USEEP Student Clubs Are Transforming Schools in Kiryandongo

Published January 2026 / Written by Asiimwe Douglas of Windle International Uganda

In Kiryandongo District, home to over 60 tribes of Ugandan nationals and refugees, schools have long mirrored the community’s complex realities. The district’s proximity to busy trading centers, bars, and lodges has often exposed learners to crime and negative influences.

“People are too many to care,” says Mayanja Moses, Headteacher of Kigumba Secondary School, describing the environment surrounding many schools.

The effects of this environment are evident in schools. Daniel Ongwech, Senior Man Teacher at Anaka Secondary School, recalls some alarming incidents:

“We once had a refugee student who carried a knife and stabbed a fellow learner. In another case, a student warned a teacher that he would ‘deal with him’ after school when his phone was confiscated.”

Many refugee learners in Kiryandongo come from backgrounds marked by war and displacement. This history often manifests in aggressive behavior, making schools not only centers of learning but also spaces where trauma surfaces. However, the Uganda Secondary Education Expansion Project (USEEP) is helping to change this narrative.

Student Clubs: Platforms for Peace and Leadership

Under Subcomponent 1.2 of USEEP, focused on the Safety and Protection of Children, schools are encouraged to integrate child protection activities through structured student clubs. Each school is expected to establish at least five active clubs with constitutions, student leadership, membership, and a teacher patron. Popular clubs include Patriotism, Debate, Writers, Scripture Union, and Sports.

Through these platforms, learners gain leadership and problem-solving skills, engage in positive peer-to-peer interactions, and build social cohesion.

“With over 59 sports trophies in my office, engaging students in games and sports every day has diverted many refugee students away from violence and crime. Cultural galas under the Music, Dance, and Drama club have also enhanced peace and cohesion among learners,” shares Lagu Yasir, Headteacher of Panyadoli Self Help Secondary School.

For students like Nyataba Marial Puol, a Senior Three student and vice chairperson of the South Sudan Students Association at Anaka Secondary School, the transformation is personal:

“Talking and engaging with our peers to understand the root causes of violence and finding solutions through guidance and counselling has helped reduce violence and build stronger relationships.”

Schools as Sanctuaries of Hope

By promoting inclusivity, safety, and peace through student clubs, USEEP is not only expanding access to secondary education but also shaping schools into sanctuaries of hope, healing, and harmony.

Funded by the World Bank through the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES), and implemented by Windle International Uganda (WIU) in partnership with Joy for Children Uganda (JFC), USEEP continues to transform education for refugee and host communities in underserved regions of Uganda, increasing enrollment, retention, and completion in lower secondary education while ensuring safe and inclusive learning environments.