Our Story
CLH began when Peter, Otim, and Lulu saw the urgent need for access to books and learning in the settlements. Through U.S. book drives and fundraising, partnerships in the settlements, and local community surveys, the libraries were built not only to provide books but also to address the community's needs.
Today, Creative Learning Haven has library branches in Uganda's Rhino and Imvepi refugee settlements. Rhino was established in 1980 to support people fleeing the South Sudanese civil war into Uganda. Imvepi was established in 2017 for the same reason. As of 2021, both settlements serve a combined population of 200,000+ refugees. Most of the refugees have lived in the settlements for over 8 years, primarily due to conflicts in South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). People from these countries have a history of forced migration to Uganda going as far back as 1962 (Uganda's independence).
Education and access to learning materials is one of the greatest unmet needs in the settlements. Funding cuts and teacher shortages across schools mean students lack support. Costly school fees lead to students dropping out before completing secondary school.
Since CLH was founded, we have begun to see a new reading culture emerge. In the school break of Spring 2025, we saw primary and secondary students waiting at the doors of our libraries, ready to read.
