What We Do

<p>The NELIC Innovation Center is a community-driven space designed to equip refugee youth with 21st-century skills through experiential learning, digital literacy programs, and innovation challenges. Developed in collaboration with the University at Buffalo's Experiential Learning Network, NELIC offers PEARL badge certification programs.</p><p>The center serves as a bridge between traditional education and practical, market-relevant skills development, preparing youth for entrepreneurship and employment opportunities.</p>

<p>The RED Biochar Program is AYISD's flagship environmental innovation initiative. It converts agricultural and biomass waste into biochar through a process called pyrolysis, producing a carbon-rich material that sequesters carbon, restores degraded soils, and provides clean cooking fuel for refugee households.</p><p>Key activities include biochar production training, distribution of efficient cookstoves, and partnership with PlantVillage+ (Penn State) for digital MRV carbon verification technology.</p>

<p>The Amsha Community Project, supported by the Amsha Africa Foundation, focuses on building sustainable livelihoods for refugee and host community members. The project encompasses sustainable agriculture training, vocational skills development, and micro-enterprise support.</p><p>Through community mobilization and participatory approaches, Amsha empowers individuals to achieve economic self-sufficiency while contributing to the broader development goals of Nakivale Refugee Settlement.</p>

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<p>The Woodlot Program addresses the critical deforestation crisis in Nakivale Refugee Settlement by establishing community-managed woodlots. Since its inception, the program has planted over 10,000 trees and restored more than 75 acres of degraded land.</p><p>The program combines agroforestry techniques with community education, ensuring sustainable forest management practices that benefit both refugees and host communities.</p>