“It’s Better to Sweat than to Die:” Rural-to-Urban Migration, Northern Karamoja, Uganda

Towns in northern Karamoja are growing due to an influx of people, commercial enterprises, non-profit organizations and public sector institutions. Research by the Feinstein International Center of Tufts University sought to specifically examine the migration of individuals and families from rural locations to the urban centers of Abim, Kaabong and Kotido. The objective or the research was to better understand the factors leading to migration, the livelihood strategies pursued by those moving into towns, and the opportunities and challenges associated with urban life. Teams collected qualitative data from 83 individual migrants in the three urban areas in January and February 2014. This study took place in partnership with Mercy Corps International under the Northern Karamoja Growth, Health, and Governance (GHG) program funded by USAID.