By Norbert Mao
Redeem International, has celebrated six years of work in Gulu City, Gulu and Amuru districts, while launching Phase Two of its program aimed at protecting vulnerable widows and orphans from land grabbing.
Redeem International is a Christian non-governmental organization working to protect widows and orphans from violence, property theft and land grabbing. The organization partners with local leaders, police, courts and government institutions to help vulnerable families secure their rights.
The organization started its work in 2020 and it has supported efforts that have led to the recovery of more than 938,265 acres of land, helped 1,596 victims, rehabilitated 694 survivors, and supported the prosecution of 148 criminal perpetrators.
Redeem also reports 63 criminal convictions, while more than 7,200 people have been reached with messages on land rights and succession.
The organization confirms its work focused on four key areas : prosecution, restoration, rehabilitation and amplification, through collaboration with police, courts, local governments, cultural and religious leaders and the media.
Redeem confirms the intervention has contributed to a significant reduction in land grabbing. By 2023, newly widowed women were 62 percent less likely to experience land grabbing compared to two years earlier, with an estimated 304 incidents prevented between 2022 and 2023.
Redeem International, Chief Executive Officer, CEO and Founder Jesse Rudy while speaking during the celebration in Gulu City on Tuesday thanked the Gulu team, police, state attorneys, judges, government officials, cultural and religious leaders for their partnership, saying strong foundations have now been laid for local institutions to continue protecting widows and orphans.
Speaking during the celebration, Amuru District Resident District Commissioner Osborn Ocheng commended Redeem International for its contribution towards protecting vulnerable communities and strengthening local institutions in the fight against land grabbing.
Ocheng called for continued cooperation between government institutions, local leaders, cultural institutions and communities to ensure that land rights are protected even as Redeem changes its approach.
As part of Phase Two, Redeem International confirms it will gradually step back from direct implementation of their services and handling new individual cases in Gulu and Amuru.
Starting October 2026, the organization will no longer register new clients under the program, although it will continue supporting existing clients until their cases are fully concluded.
Instead, Redeem will provide technical support by referring survivors to relevant departments, including police and local leaders, while monitoring whether the reduction in land grabbing is sustained.