The Human Development Index (HDI) looks at four main categories, Life Expectancy, Expected and Mean Years of Schooling, and Gross National Income (GNI). These four determinants serve to rank countries and to provide them with a measure, or index, of how well they compare to others. The purpose of the HDI is to advance the wellbeing of humans globally, seeking to promote the improvement of all key aspects of life. HDI aims to prompt countries to improve these four categories, so that their citizens can have a higher quality of life. The highest ranking countries can ideally serve as examples for policy, or merely a goal to aim at (g23).

"Despite of the poverty, disease and lack, Ugandans are generally happy. Even the poor of the poorest will find a way of enjoying life. Smiling, laughing, cracking jokes and dancing is apart of the Ugandan people, regardless of whether they have or have not."

-Interviewee, Twikyirize Mercy

World Happiness Report:

Since 2012, Gallup, a surveyor, has been gathering data yearly on  many factors to establish a list of 156 countries and their "happiness" score. Respondents are asked to rank their lives on a number of factors with 0 being the worst possible life and 10 being the best. The report looks at six key factors: levels of GDP, life expectancy, generosity, social support, freedom, and corruption (g17).

Due to a difficult past and an enduring complicated future, Uganda has struggled to rank higher on the list with a decrease of -0.064 between surveys from 2005-2008 to 2016-2018. The 2019 report ranks Uganda at 136 out of 156 with a score of 4.189 out of 10 (g65).