Ucoopia unveils its plans for 2026
Ucoopia will launch in 2026 with a series of new projects that embody its ambition to build bridges between academic research, grassroots action, and civic engagement.
Ucoopia, Europe’s first inter-university NGO
Created in January 2026, Ucoopia was born from the merger of Eclosio and ULB-Coopération, the NGOs of ULiège and ULB, joined by the University of Mons. With a staff of 170, including 135 in the field, the NGO is now active in ten countries in Africa, Europe, Asia, and Latin America, focusing on four major areas: health systems, food systems and natural resources, socio-economic integration of young people, and global citizenship.
Enabling equitable access to healthcare
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ucoopia is strengthening healthcare systems to ensure access to high-quality, affordable healthcare for as many people as possible. Starting in 2026, this initiative will be extended to Burkina Faso, where young people in highly vulnerable situations will receive training in sexual, reproductive, and menstrual health, while developing their professional skills as part of a project funded by our partner Enabel.
Working with communities for sustainable resource management
In Cambodia, starting in 2026, Ucoopia will support 23 cashew cooperatives in moving toward more profitable production without chemical inputs. In Senegal, in the Niokolo-Koba National Park, the NGO intends to intensify its support for a sustainable beekeeping sector already structured around the “Api-Niokolo” brand, while supporting the populations of the Saloum Delta in the face of losses and damage caused by climate change.
In the Peruvian Andes, Ucoopia will work with the universities of Reading and Buenos Aires to rehabilitate ancestral hydraulic systems, with a view to bringing about a lasting improvement in the living conditions of local communities. These projects combine scientific support, local knowledge, and prospects for sustainable income for rural populations.
Giving young people opportunities for the future
In West Africa, Ucoopia supports young people without training or professional experience in finding sustainable employment or setting up small businesses. In northeastern Benin, the NGO will collaborate with high schools to train 100 young people in agriculture and renewable energy.
At the same time, Ucoopia is working alongside African and European universities on the Innov’spheres project, which aims to stimulate student entrepreneurship by integrating the social, environmental, and international dimensions of initiatives led by young people.
Stronger community ties on the UMONS campus
In Belgium, Ucoopia will roll out new civic education activities on the UMONS campus, complementing those already underway at ULiège and ULB. Workshops, meetings, and educational programs will enable students to engage with major global issues—climate, inequality, social justice, international cooperation—in direct connection with projects carried out in the field, making the Mons campus a privileged place for dialogue between academic knowledge, field experience, and civic engagement.
All of these actions are made possible thanks to the support of Ucoopia’s funders and donors and rigorous management of resources, which allows most of the funds to be devoted to projects in the field.
