The Ministry of Education and Sports is leading a visit to the United Kingdom this week to explore how sport-based rehabilitation could create new recovery opportunities for Uganda’s wounded, injured, and sick (WIS) service personnel and veterans.
Uganda has become the first East African nation to engage with the Invictus Games Foundation, an international organisation that supports wounded veterans through adaptive sport and recovery programmes.
The visit aims to deepen understanding of how sport can enhance the rehabilitation and reintegration of Ugandan veterans who have served their country.
During the visit, the ministerial delegation will observe UK veteran sport recovery programmes in action and meet representatives from the Foundation in London.
Discussions will focus on how similar approaches could be adapted to meet the unique needs of Uganda’s military community.
This engagement follows an October 2025 visit by representatives from the Invictus Games Foundation to Uganda. During that visit, they met wounded Ugandan service personnel and their families, toured existing rehabilitation facilities, and observed adaptive sports demonstrations. Those interactions highlighted the significant potential of sport-based recovery to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of veterans.
For many wounded veterans, the transition from military service can be challenging. Sport recovery programmes are designed to support rehabilitation, build confidence, and create pathways for reintegration into civilian life.
Adaptive sports—modified to accommodate different injuries and abilities—offer veterans an opportunity to regain fitness, connect with peers who share similar experiences, and rediscover purpose beyond their injuries.
This initial phase of engagement focuses on understanding the specific needs of Uganda’s wounded veterans and assessing whether sport recovery approaches could complement existing support systems.
Any future programme would be tailored to the Ugandan context and to the particular requirements of the country’s WIS military community.
If the engagement progresses beyond this exploratory stage, Ugandan wounded service personnel could gain access to adaptive sports programmes tailored to different injuries, opportunities for sport-based rehabilitation that support physical and mental recovery, and connections with an international community of wounded veterans.
Such developments could also create pathways for participation in international veteran sporting events and offer peer support from individuals who understand the challenges of recovery.
“We are pleased to be exploring opportunities with Uganda to understand how sport recovery could support wounded veterans. This is about listening, learning, and understanding the unique needs of Uganda’s military community. Our focus is on the veterans themselves and how we can help create pathways to recovery," said Rob Owen OBE, CEO of the Invictus Games Foundation.
Lord Allen, Chair of the Invictus Games Foundation, added:
“This visit marks the start of a meaningful journey. Our approach is collaborative and shaped around listening and learning first. Uganda’s commitment to supporting its wounded, injured and sick service community through sport sets a powerful example for East Africa, and we are honoured to be with them on this journey.”
The visit underscores Uganda’s commitment to exploring innovative approaches to veteran welfare and ensuring wounded service personnel have access to comprehensive recovery support.
Decisions about next steps will be made after this initial assessment period, with any future programmes designed specifically to meet the needs of Ugandan veterans.