Baobab Research Programme Consortium

As Baobab nears completion, efforts are focused on cultivating opportunities for sustained investment in African-led humanitarian research—driving lasting change through local expertise and global collaboration. With proven successes and scalable models, Baobab presents a compelling case for funders seeking to support meaningful, community-led change while maximising the impact of their current and future commitments. By showcasing success stories, strategic partnerships, and research-to-policy impact, Baobab is harnessing momentum to demonstrate why investing in African-led humanitarian research is both worthy and transformative. Through its case studies, Baobab highlights how it is:

• Cultivating Africa’s next generation of research leaders.
• Empowering refugees and host community members to lead evidence generation and shape solutions.
• Pioneering refugee research, including delivering the first-ever violence against children and youth survey conducted exclusively in humanitarian settings.
• Delivering proven models for replicability and scalability in humanitarian contexts.
• Ensuring no child falls through the cracks by piloting a transformative approach to identifying and supporting child survivors of sexual violence.
• Unlocking potential through moving from proactive screening to improving access to family planning in refugee settings.

OUR IMPACT

Influencing Scale-Up and the Investments of Humanitarian Actors | Commemorating the Day of the African Child

On June 16th 2025, Baobab proudly joined the Day of the African Child celebrations at Kyabenda Primary School in Kamwenge District, Uganda, hosted by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD). The Honourable Flavia Kabahenda Rwabuhoro—Member of Parliament for Kyegegwa District—reminded the audience that “Investing in children is investing in Uganda’s future,” while Gloria Seruwagi—Baobab’s Research Uptake Manager—underscored what may be achievable in the protection of children through strong partnerships, data-driven action, and sustainable investment.

During the event, the Ministry launched Uganda’s first-ever National Training Manual for Para-Social Workers and the National Para-Social Workers Handbook, both of which integrated Baobab’s school-based sexual violence screening intervention. This evidence-based para-social worker-led approach, first piloted in refugee settlements in Uganda, significantly improved the identification and response to sexual violence survivors.

A feasibility assessment of the intervention revealed that in just five months, 653 cases were identified and responded to, compared to only 16 cases in the past year in that same intervention school, or 40 cases across all five existing primary schools in the refugee settlement.

The new tools, supported by external funding secured by the MGLSD, will be piloted in Kamwenge, and will continue to guide frontline workers to proactively protect vulnerable children by connecting them to care and create safer learning spaces.

Empowering Refugees to Support Delivery of Solutions | Incentive Social Worker Training in Ethiopia

In May 2025, Baobab, in partnership with Ethiopia’s Refugee and Returnees Service (RRS), trained a cohort of incentive social workers to implement a pioneering school-based sexual violence screening intervention tailored for refugee communities.

Building on its success in Uganda, this initiative marks Baobab’s shift from research to action—piloting priority interventions through existing government frameworks to meet urgent needs and strengthen service delivery. Rather than creating new systems, Baobab focused on enhancing proven approaches to ensure refugees receive the protection and care they deserve.

Co-Creation Workshop Spotlight | Addressing Unintended Pregnancy and Unsafe Abortion in Refugee Settings in Ethiopia

In June 2025, Baobab, together with Ethiopia’s Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS), co-hosted a two-day Dissemination and Stakeholder Engagement Workshop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The event was officially opened by Mr. Mulualem Desta, Deputy Director of RRS, and Ms. Misrak Mohammed Hassen, Head of Women and Children’s Services at RRS.

During this workshop, key stakeholders heard about the most critical findings on unintended pregnancy and unsafe abortion in refugee contexts, including abortion incidence and complication severity, the availability and quality of Safe Abortion Care (SAC) and Post-Abortion Care (PAC), and any out-of-pocket expense women incurred to procure these services in and around refugee settings in Ethiopia. There were significant gaps in the numbers of women using family planning methods, and also in SAC and PAC provision, despite the existence of a legal framework that permits these services under certain conditions.

In response, participants mapped current interventions and explored how Baobab’s evidence could help partners strengthen programmes, close service gaps, and inform national policies. An intervention to address unintended pregnancy and unsafe abortion was co-designed at this event, marking an important step in advancing evidence-based, inclusive, and rights-focused sexual and reproductive health solutions for vulnerable refugee communities across the East and Horn of Africa.