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About   INUWA International

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Who We Are

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INUWA International is a Norway-based nonprofit and community-led organisation advancing human rights, health, education, social inclusion and sustainable development.

Headquartered in Trondheim, INUWA connects practical community action in Norway and Africa with advocacy, institutional cooperation and social enterprise. Our programmes support children, young people, women, families and communities facing poverty, stigma, discrimination, displacement, limited educational access and economic exclusion.

The organisation was founded by Laila Moen, a human-rights and HIV/AIDS advocate, community leader and social entrepreneur. Her lived and professional experience shaped an organisation that moves beyond short-term assistance by helping people acquire knowledge, productive assets, skills, opportunities and the confidence to influence their own future.

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Our Vision

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A just and inclusive world in which every person can live with dignity, exercise their rights and participate fully in the social and economic life of their community.

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Our Mission

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Our mission is to strengthen people and communities through health promotion, education, leadership, entrepreneurship, sustainable agriculture, vocational preparation, responsible advocacy and locally designed solutions.

We work to remove barriers that prevent people from learning, earning, leading and living with dignity. Each intervention is intended to produce practical outcomes while contributing to wider and longer-term change.

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Our Development Philosophy

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INUWA does not believe that poverty can be solved through one-way donations alone. Financial assistance may respond to an immediate need, but lasting progress requires investment in people, systems and productive capacity.

Our approach is to help communities build something that continues to generate value. This may include education, farming, vocational training, community enterprises, market access, employment pathways or assets that produce income.

We call this a movement from temporary assistance to sustainable opportunity. Donations can help establish the foundation, but skills, production, responsible management and reinvestment are what allow an initiative to continue.

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Where We Work

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INUWA’s principal programme activity is currently centred in Norway and Uganda.

In Norway, our work focuses on inclusion, health and HIV advocacy, refugee and migrant participation, women and young mothers, leadership, education, social connection and pathways into employment.

In Uganda, our portfolio includes education, youth development, community health, women’s economic participation, agriculture, food production, livelihood training and community-based social enterprise.

INUWA also engages volunteers, professionals and potential partners from countries including Burundi, Cameroon, Kenya and Nigeria. Expansion into additional African countries will be undertaken gradually and only where appropriate governance, safeguarding, financing and local partnerships are in place.

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Our Work in Norway

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Refugee and Migrant Inclusion

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INUWA is developing a structured inclusion and opportunity pathway for refugees, migrants and women facing social or economic vulnerability in Trondheim.

The programme is designed to provide a safe and accessible starting point where participants can identify their needs, understand available services and prepare for greater participation in Norwegian society. Support areas include social orientation, language practice, digital knowledge, leadership, confidence building, education guidance and preparation for employment.

Where participants require specialised assistance, INUWA will facilitate responsible referrals to qualified services. These may include Norwegian-language programmes, NAV, healthcare providers, psychological support, legal guidance, education institutions and work-placement opportunities.

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Women and Young Mothers

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Our work with women and young mothers responds to challenges including isolation, interrupted education, unemployment, discrimination, trauma, financial insecurity and limited support networks.

Activities are being developed around peer support, leadership, practical life skills, financial understanding, entrepreneurship, digital participation and access to relevant public services. The objective is to strengthen women’s independence while recognising their family responsibilities, health circumstances and individual aspirations.

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HIV, Health and Respectful Maternity Care

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INUWA promotes accurate HIV information, U=U awareness, dignity in healthcare and the meaningful participation of people living with HIV.

In Norway, we are developing advocacy focused on the experiences of immigrant and refugee women living with HIV, particularly during pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal care. This includes addressing stigma, misinformation and insensitive treatment within healthcare environments.

INUWA also seeks to encourage evidence-informed dialogue about infant-feeding guidance for women living with HIV in Norway. This work must be undertaken with medical specialists, people with lived experience and relevant health and HIV organisations so that public advocacy remains scientifically accurate and safe.

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The Planned INUWA Community Café and Centre

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INUWA is developing the concept of a community café and social-impact centre in Trondheim. The space will serve as a welcoming meeting point where visitors can enjoy INUWA coffee and other community-produced goods while learning about the people and programmes behind them.

The centre is intended to host:

• Human-rights and social-impact discussions

• HIV and health-awareness activities

• Language-learning and cultural-exchange sessions

• Leadership and community conversations

• Games and social activities

• Non-clinical wellbeing and peer-support gatherings

• Product exhibitions and small community markets

• Volunteer, partner and programme meetings

A dedicated section of the premises is planned to serve as INUWA International’s official operational office.

The café will not be presented as a healthcare or therapy centre. Any clinical, psychological or therapeutic service must be delivered through appropriately qualified and authorised professionals.

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Our Work in Uganda

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Uganda Community and Youth Empowerment Programme

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The INUWA Uganda Community and Youth Empowerment Programme brings together youth leadership, health and wellbeing, HIV awareness, entrepreneurship, mentorship, community engagement and practical learning.

The 2026 pilot is being developed across Kampala and the Mbale region, with field activities scheduled from 1–23 September 2026. It provides an opportunity for young people, volunteers, community representatives and professionals to exchange knowledge, identify local priorities and strengthen future programme partnerships.

The pilot is also an organisational learning process. Findings from the field will guide future decisions on programme design, resource allocation, safeguarding, monitoring and responsible expansion.

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St Rima Education Center

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INUWA works with St Rima Education Center in Bumateba Village, Sironko District, within the wider Mbale and Mount Elgon region.

The school serves approximately 600 learners. Around 200 of these children face serious difficulty paying school fees, placing their continued education at risk.

INUWA’s work with the school is intended to address both immediate educational barriers and the wider conditions affecting children and their families. Priorities include improved access to learning, school-fee assistance, educational materials, mentorship, infrastructure development and stronger links between education, household livelihoods and future employment.

Long-term plans include strengthening the school environment and creating additional opportunities through agriculture, entrepreneurship, digital learning, vocational exposure and youth leadership. The aim is not only to keep children in school, but also to help them develop the abilities required to build secure and productive lives.

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Scholarships and Education Support

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INUWA is developing a scholarship and education-support programme for children and young people whose education is threatened by poverty or difficult family circumstances.

Depending on available resources, support may contribute towards school fees, learning materials, uniforms, examinations, vocational preparation or other essential educational costs. St Rima Education Center will be an important focus within the initial education-support work.

Scholarships will be awarded through documented eligibility criteria, transparent selection procedures and regular monitoring. Priority will be given to learners experiencing genuine financial barriers, with safeguards to prevent discrimination, favouritism or misuse of programme resources.

Scholarship support will be connected to mentorship, family engagement and, where appropriate, livelihood opportunities. This will help address the economic circumstances that caused the educational barrier instead of paying one fee without considering the child’s longer-term situation.

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One Hen, One Child

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The One Hen, One Child initiative is designed to help young mothers finance the education of their children through a simple household livelihood model.

Under the proposed approach, a participating family receives a hen linked to a school-going child. The mother cares for the bird and can generate value through eggs, chicks and gradual flock growth. Income can then contribute towards school fees, supplies and other educational needs.

Village Entrepreneur Trainers are expected to support participating mothers with poultry care, recordkeeping, monitoring, aggregation and access to markets.

The initiative connects education with women’s economic participation. It is intended to reduce dependence on repeated school-fee donations by giving families a manageable productive asset that can grow over time.

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WEEP Community Group, Mbale

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INUWA’s engagement with the WEEP Community Group in Mbale strengthens local participation and helps ensure that programmes respond to priorities identified within the community.

The group provides an important platform for community mobilisation, women’s participation, youth engagement, beneficiary identification, local dialogue and programme follow-up. Its community knowledge can help INUWA understand household conditions, communicate responsibly and identify practical barriers that may not be visible from outside.

Through structured cooperation, INUWA aims to support community-led training, economic activities, health awareness, mentorship and local accountability. Roles and responsibilities will be documented to protect the independence of community representatives and ensure transparent use of resources.

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The Planned INUWA Community Dispensary

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INUWA is developing plans for a community dispensary in the Mbale area to improve access to basic health information, early support and appropriate referrals.

Subject to national registration, licensing, qualified staffing and clinical-governance requirements, the facility could provide or coordinate basic primary healthcare, preventive health education, maternal and child health support, routine screening and referrals to authorised hospitals and specialist services.

Health education would include HIV awareness, stigma reduction, treatment literacy, sexual and reproductive health, hygiene, nutrition and the importance of seeking professional care at an early stage.

The dispensary will not operate beyond its authorised clinical capacity. Services involving diagnosis, medication, HIV testing, treatment or other regulated procedures will only be provided by qualified personnel and in accordance with Ugandan health regulations.

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INUWA Farm: Mukono–Kalagi

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The INUWA Farm in Mukono–Kalagi is being developed as an agricultural, livelihood and practical-learning platform.

Its areas of production include:

• Coffee cultivation

• Cereals and other food crops

• Cattle rearing

• Poultry and chicken production

• Fish farming

• Additional livestock and agricultural activities

The farm is intended to combine production with education. Young people and community participants can gain practical exposure to crop management, animal care, food systems, recordkeeping, enterprise development and agricultural marketing.

INUWA also plans to introduce solar-supported and climate-conscious farming methods. Solar energy can strengthen irrigation, lighting, water systems, processing, storage and other farm operations while reducing dependence on unreliable energy sources.

The broader objective is to demonstrate how agriculture can become a skilled profession and a viable enterprise rather than being viewed only as subsistence work.

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Mechanics and Work-Readiness Training

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INUWA is developing practical training opportunities in mechanics and other employable trades.

The training model will combine technical instruction with workplace behaviour, punctuality, safety, communication, teamwork, financial literacy and basic business management. Participants should leave with abilities that can be applied in employment, apprenticeships or self-employment.

Future partnerships with workshops, technical trainers and responsible employers will be important. Training will be structured to protect participants from exploitation and ensure that practical placements are genuinely educational.

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Bridge Back Reintegration Programme

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The Bridge Back Reintegration Programme is an INUWA International initiative designed to support people rebuilding their lives after release from prison.

Across many African communities, former prisoners encounter unemployment, stigma, family separation, untreated trauma, addiction and difficulty adapting to life outside an institution. Without a structured transition, these pressures can increase the risk of reoffending.

Bridge Back proposes voluntary programmes lasting three, six or twelve months, with an individual reintegration plan and clearly defined entry and completion dates.

Its central components include:

• Professional mental-health and psychosocial support

• Physical health and structured daily routines

• Anger management and emotional-regulation support

• Addiction recovery referrals where required

• Practical vocational and agricultural training

• Mechanics, construction, carpentry and other marketable skills

• Financial literacy and workplace preparation

• Family and community reconnection

• Employment, apprenticeship and enterprise pathways

• Participant savings or responsible income arrangements

The programme is not intended to be a prison, punishment facility or source of unpaid labour. Its purpose is to combine dignity with responsibility and opportunity with accountability.

Bridge Back remains under development. Before implementation, INUWA will require legal review, professional staffing, admission and risk-assessment procedures, safeguarding systems, insurance, security protocols, local-authority cooperation and sustainable financing.

The first pilot should remain small and controlled. Growth will depend on evidence, participant safety, community acceptance and measurable reintegration outcomes.

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INUWA Social Enterprise

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The “Buy to Donate” Model

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INUWA is developing a social-enterprise model through which customers support community programmes by purchasing products created or grown by participating groups.

We describe this approach as “Buy to Donate.”

A customer receives a real product, while revenue helps finance education, training, agriculture, livelihoods and community-development activities. Part of the income will cover production and fair compensation, while an accountable share will be reinvested in INUWA programmes.

The model is intended to connect generosity with dignity. Communities should not be presented only as recipients of aid; they should also be recognised as producers, creators, farmers, entrepreneurs and contributors to local economies.

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The Planned INUWA Shop

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The INUWA shop is scheduled for future launch and will make community-produced goods available to customers in Norway and internationally.

Planned products include INUWA coffee, selected agricultural goods and items produced by young people and participating community groups. Product quality, ethical sourcing, transparent pricing and responsible revenue allocation will guide the shop’s development.

Every purchase will help create a longer chain of impact: production generates experience and income, sales support programme continuity, and reinvestment helps more people access opportunities.

Buy with purpose. Support production. Strengthen communities.

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How We Work

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INUWA’s programme cycle begins with community consultation and needs assessment. Each initiative must then move through planning, risk analysis, partnership development, budgeting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

We collaborate with community groups, schools, health professionals, volunteers, civil-society organisations, public institutions, educational bodies and responsible businesses. Responsibilities are defined according to the expertise and authority of each participant.

Specialist matters are referred to qualified professionals. Community volunteers do not replace doctors, psychologists, teachers, lawyers, social workers or public authorities.

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Safeguarding and Accountability

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INUWA is committed to protecting children, young people and adults at risk from abuse, exploitation, harassment, discrimination and avoidable harm.

Board members, management, staff, volunteers, consultants and partners are expected to follow applicable safeguarding requirements, codes of conduct, confidentiality standards and reporting procedures.

The organisation is strengthening its systems for financial control, procurement, risk management, data protection, conflict-of-interest management, programme monitoring and responsible partnership development.

Credibility is not established through words alone. It is earned through transparent decisions, accurate reporting, ethical leadership and accountability to the people whose lives are affected by our work.

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Our Founder

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INUWA International was founded by Laila Moen, a human-rights and HIV/AIDS advocate, community leader and social entrepreneur based in Trondheim, Norway.

Her work connects lived experience with public advocacy, organisational leadership and practical development. Through INUWA, she seeks to demonstrate that illness, displacement, trauma, poverty or discrimination should never determine the limits of a person’s future.

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The Meaning of INUWA

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INUWA represents growth, elevation and transformation.

It reflects our conviction that people and communities already possess knowledge, ability and strength. The role of responsible development is to help remove barriers, strengthen capacity and create conditions in which that potential can grow.

Inspire. Elevate. Transform.