Uganda:
Evaluation of the Unified Champion Schools

data collectors interviewing Ethiopia family in their home

Donor: Special Olympics Uganda
Timeframe: June 2025 – December 2026

IDP is conducting an implementation evaluation of the Special Olympics’ Unified Champion Schools (UCS) program in the Kyangwali refugee settlement, a crisis-affected setting in Uganda. The evaluation measures the efficacy of the program’s impact on social inclusion, school climate, social-emotional learning, and understanding of intellectual disabilities. Drawing on insights from UCS athletes (students with intellectual disabilities), their partners (students without disabilities), coaches, school administrators, and caregivers across three schools, IDP is assessing shifts in attitudes, beliefs, and practices, as well as what aspects of implementation worked well or faced challenges. The evaluation will also examine how the program evolves over the year and its perceived effectiveness in fostering inclusive education.

Project Highlights:

  • Provide an evaluation of the impact and effectiveness of the Unified Champion Schools model in a refugee and crisis-affected setting, with a focus on social inclusion, social-emotional learning, school climate, and understanding of intellectual disability.
  • Use of a mixed-methods, participatory approach across three schools in Kyangwali Refugee Settlement to capture perspectives of students, educators, coaches, and families.
  • Generation practical, evidence-based insights to strengthen implementation and inform scale-up of inclusive education programming in Uganda and other humanitarian contexts.