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{{Short description|Australian charity supporting Acholi people}}
{{Short description|Australian charity supporting Acholi people}}
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{{Draft topics|biography|africa}}
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Acholi Resilience is an Australian-registered charity that supports vulnerable and marginalised Acholi communities in Northern Uganda.
Acholi Resilience is an Australian-registered charity that supports vulnerable and marginalised Acholi communities in Northern Uganda.
<ref name=”auto1″>{{cite web|url=https://acholiresilience.org/|title=Acholi Resilience|access-date=26 September 2025}}</ref>
<ref name=”auto1″>{{cite web|url=https://acholiresilience.org/|title=Acholi Resilience|access-date=26 September 2025}}</ref>
Founded in 2013 by Moses Otto a native of Kitgum, Uganda, who resettled in Tasmania the organisation works to restore dignity and improve living conditions for Acholi people affected by decades of conflict and poverty.
Founded in 2013 by Moses Otto a native of Kitgum, Uganda, who resettled in Tasmania the organisation works to restore dignity and improve living conditions for Acholi people affected by decades of conflict and poverty.
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<ref name=”auto”>{{cite web|url=https://hobart.infocouncil.biz/|title=hobart.infocouncil.biz|access-date=26 September 2025}}</ref>
<ref name=”auto”>{{cite web|url=https://hobart.infocouncil.biz/|title=hobart.infocouncil.biz|access-date=26 September 2025}}</ref>
Acholi Resilience focuses on alleviating the causes of poverty and social injustice by empowering local people through initiatives in health, education, water, and sustainable development
Acholi Resilience focuses on alleviating the causes of poverty and social injustice by empowering local people through initiatives in health, education, water, and sustainable development
Supporting vulnerable groups: Care for the most vulnerable Acholi people, such as orphans, widows, people with disabilities, and the elderly
Supporting vulnerable groups: Care for the most vulnerable Acholi people, such as orphans, widows, people with disabilities, and the elderly
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Empowerment: Enable Acholi people to enact positive, progressive changes for their own future
Empowerment: Enable Acholi people to enact positive, progressive changes for their own future
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Peace and respect: Promote a peaceful and respectful environment for all Acholi people
Peace and respect: Promote a peaceful and respectful environment for all Acholi people
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Economic participation: Motivate Acholi communities to engage in the economic fabric of Acholiland and work hard to provide for themselves and their families
Economic participation: Motivate Acholi communities to engage in the economic fabric of Acholiland and work hard to provide for themselves and their families
Integrity and accountability: Operate with honesty, transparency, accountability, and responsibility in all actions
Integrity and accountability: Operate with honesty, transparency, accountability, and responsibility in all actions
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These goals reflect the charity’s emphasis on restoring pride and self-sufficiency in a region that suffered heavily from war and its aftermath
These goals reflect the charity’s emphasis on restoring pride and self-sufficiency in a region that suffered heavily from war and its aftermath
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Otto later relocated to Australia as a refugee and settled in Hobart, Tasmania
Otto later relocated to Australia as a refugee and settled in Hobart, Tasmania
<ref>{{cite web|url=https://themercury.com.au/|title=The Mercury|access-date=26 September 2025}}</ref>
<ref>{{cite web|url=https://themercury.com.au/|title=The Mercury|access-date=26 September 2025}}</ref>
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Drawing on his personal experience and his training as a health professional, Moses Otto and his wife Johanna established Acholi Resilience in 2013 with the vision of helping their home community rebuild after the Lord’s Resistance Army conflict
Drawing on his personal experience and his training as a health professional, Moses Otto and his wife Johanna established Acholi Resilience in 2013 with the vision of helping their home community rebuild after the Lord’s Resistance Army conflict
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Moses Otto continues to direct Acholi Resilience with a focus on transparency, integrity, and faith-based values, aiming to transform lives in Acholiland through practical support and hope for the future
Moses Otto continues to direct Acholi Resilience with a focus on transparency, integrity, and faith-based values, aiming to transform lives in Acholiland through practical support and hope for the future
== References ==
== References ==
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Australian charity supporting Acholi people
Acholi Resilience is an Australian-registered charity that supports vulnerable and marginalised Acholi communities in Northern Uganda.
[1]
Founded in 2013 by Moses Otto a native of Kitgum, Uganda, who resettled in Tasmania the organisation works to restore dignity and improve living conditions for Acholi people affected by decades of conflict and poverty.
[1]
[2]
Acholi Resilience focuses on alleviating the causes of poverty and social injustice by empowering local people through initiatives in health, education, water, and sustainable development
[1]
It is registered in Australia (ABN 52 709 224 120) and operates projects on the ground in Northern Uganda
[1]
[2]
Vision and Mission
Acholi Resilience’s stated vision is “to restore the Acholi people’s dignity, pride, wealth, health and education” Its mission is defined as “to take action on the causes of poverty and social injustice by advocating and supporting the most vulnerable and marginalised Acholi people to transform their future” In practice, this means the charity seeks to empower Acholi individuals and communities to be agents of their own development rather than dependent on hand-outs
[1]
Over its first decade of work, Acholi Resilience has been “advocating and supporting vulnerable and marginalised Acholi People in Northern Uganda for over 10 years, with a focus on those most in need such as orphans, widows, people with disabilities, and the elderly.
[1]
Objectives: The organisation’s key objectives, as published, include:
Supporting vulnerable groups: Care for the most vulnerable Acholi people, such as orphans, widows, people with disabilities, and the elderly
[1]
Empowerment: Enable Acholi people to enact positive, progressive changes for their own future
[1]
Peace and respect: Promote a peaceful and respectful environment for all Acholi people
[1]
Economic participation: Motivate Acholi communities to engage in the economic fabric of Acholiland and work hard to provide for themselves and their families
[1]
Integrity and accountability: Operate with honesty, transparency, accountability, and responsibility in all actions
[1]
These goals reflect the charity’s emphasis on restoring pride and self-sufficiency in a region that suffered heavily from war and its aftermath
[1]
Programs and Activities
Acholi Resilience undertakes a range of programs to fulfill its mission, focusing on community development and relief projects in Northern Uganda:
[1]
Clean Water: The charity repairs and maintains water boreholes in remote villages to provide access to clean drinking water
[1]
Many boreholes installed in the region had fallen into disrepair, forcing locals to drink from contaminated streams; Acholi Resilience has restored wells (e.g. at Lapana Primary School and nearby communities) so that villagers, including schoolchildren, can safely fetch potable water
[1]
Education: Acholi Resilience supports primary education by improving school facilities and supporting students and teachers. It operates a daily feeding program at Lapana Primary School – often the only meal of the day for many students – to combat child hunger and improve concentration
[1]
The organisation also partners with the community and government to hire additional teachers, provide teaching materials, and even build teachers’ housing, in order to keep rural schools open and improve attendance and performance
These interventions have helped reduce drop-out rates and enabled one pilot school to avoid closure by meeting staffing requirements
[1]
Health and Nodding Syndrome: A major focus of Acholi Resilience is advocating for and assisting children suffering from Nodding Syndrome, a debilitating neurological illness that emerged in Acholi after years of civil conflict
The charity has been at the forefront of supporting families affected by Nodding Syndrome – providing food, medical referrals, and care for afflicted children – and raising awareness of the condition which leaves many orphans and disabled youth in need of constant care
[1]
Acholi Resilience was among the first to bring national attention to Nodding Syndrome’s victims in the region
[1]
(Nodding Syndrome primarily affects children aged 5–15 and causes seizures and cognitive impairment, contributing to the humanitarian crisis in Acholi communities
[1]
Pastoral Support: The organisation supports local church leaders (pastors) and their congregations as part of rebuilding community social fabric. In many Acholi villages, pastors receive no salary and even basic resources like Bibles are scarce. Acholi Resilience donates Bibles to pastors and church members (who often cannot afford them) and has helped construct simple church structures for congregations that previously met under trees
[1]
To improve pastors’ livelihoods, the charity provides farming tools and livestock – for example, bulls and ploughs to help pastors grow food and earn income – as well as bicycles so they can travel to remote villages to minister and assist families in need
[1]
These measures encourage local churches in Northern Uganda to continue serving their communities despite economic hardships
[1]
Sustainable Farming: Acholi Resilience has invested in agricultural projects to foster long-term sustainability and economic empowerment. Commercial farming is seen as a strategy both to create local jobs for vulnerable people and to generate income that can fund the charity’s humanitarian activities
[1]
By 2023, Acholi Resilience had acquired a 200-acre piece of farmland in Acholi and purchased a tractor to cultivate it
[1]
The initial development of this farm included clearing land and, crucially, constructing a bridge (culvert) over a river to allow vehicle access to the fields
[1] Plans also include building storage and housing facilities on the farm for equipment security and farm workers
The farming initiative has begun to produce crops (such as maize and lentils) which are distributed to the neediest in the community, while surplus or commercial sales aim to make the charity more self-sustaining in the long run. Acholi Resilience views this sustainable agriculture program as key to “providing jobs for the vulnerable” and reducing reliance on donations, in line with its mission to empower Acholi people economically
[1]
Founder and Leadership
Moses Otto is the founder and director of Acholi Resilience. He was born and raised in Kitgum, in the Acholi sub-region of Northern Uganda, where he witnessed the hardships of war and displacement during his childhood
[1]
Otto later relocated to Australia as a refugee and settled in Hobart, Tasmania
[3]
[2]
Drawing on his personal experience and his training as a health professional, Moses Otto and his wife Johanna established Acholi Resilience in 2013 with the vision of helping their home community rebuild after the Lord’s Resistance Army conflict
[1]
Moses Otto’s background in health and community development work in Australia has informed the charity’s approach to community-based solutions in Uganda
[1]
He remains actively involved in the organisation’s projects, frequently traveling to Northern Uganda to oversee initiatives such as the Nodding Syndrome outreach and the sustainable farming program
[2]
Under Otto’s leadership, Acholi Resilience has grown into a bridge between the Acholi diaspora in Australia and the communities in Uganda, garnering support from volunteers and donors in Tasmania and beyond
[2]
[1]
In recognition of his efforts, local Tasmanian figures have highlighted Otto’s work – for instance, a Talking Point column in The Mercury noted that Acholi Resilience has been “spearheaded by Ugandan refugee Moses Otto” in response to the cruel effects of nodding syndrome on Acholi children The Hobart City Council has also acknowledged Moses Otto as a key advocate for international partnerships, citing him as a strong supporter of developing ties between Hobart and Kitgum, Uganda.
[2]
Moses Otto continues to direct Acholi Resilience with a focus on transparency, integrity, and faith-based values, aiming to transform lives in Acholiland through practical support and hope for the future
