In the vast, open fields of Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda, rows of white tarps stretch to the horizon. Each one holds a story of loss and hope.
Thousands of refugees, most recently fleeing renewed violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo, are arriving with almost nothing. These families face more than just displacement. They’re up against the reality of building a life from scratch. And that begins—quite literally—with a brick.
The Hidden Cost of Rebuilding
Our team discovered a major barrier: the high cost of renting brick molds. These basic wooden forms are essential for making the bricks needed to construct a durable home. But they come at a steep cost for people who have just crossed a border with nothing.
Most new arrivals pay 5,000 UGX per day or 25,000 UGX per month just to rent one mold. Depending on their circumstances, building even a small home could cost a refugee over 500,000 UGX—just in rental fees.
And the pace of brickmaking varies widely. One mother could only make 13 bricks per day while caring for her children and fetching water. At that rate, she’d be paying rent on her mold for 100 days or more.
This kind of financial pressure can keep families stuck under flimsy tarps for far too long.
Our Response: A Brick Mold Lending Program
Every Shelter has launched a Brick Mold Lending Program to eliminate this unnecessary cost and help families build better homes faster.
We distributed 200 molds, free of charge, through our Shelter Depot outpost in the Juru open-air market. We predict this initiative will:
- Remove the financial burden of daily rentals
- Equip families to make their own bricks
- Speed up the process of moving from tents to stable homes
- Support community-led shelter development
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We’re partnering with the Wakati Foundation, a refugee-led organization, to produce the brick molds. They’ll also train other refugees in how to make molds, building long-term skills and sustainability into the program.
Local leaders will help spread the word, and we’ll operate a weekly lending and return day to make it simple to borrow and track the molds.
This isn’t just about bricks. It’s about dignity, ownership, and creating a system where new arrivals can help themselves and each other.
What Success Looks Like
We’ll be measuring how many families use the molds, how long it takes them to move into homes, and how much money they save.
Our goal? To make it easier, faster, and more affordable for displaced families to build real shelter—not just survive in a tent.
This World Refugee Day, we’re reminded that no one should have to spend years in limbo. Everyone deserves a safe place to call home.
And sometimes, that starts with a single brick mold.
Want to support refugee families building homes in Uganda?
Partner with us to invest in practical solutions that empower refugees.
Let’s build a better future—one brick mold at a time.
