WFP to assist 400,000 refugees in Uganda camps

Apr 15, 2016

WFP offers a choice between food and cash for refugees who have been in the country longer and are better able to support themselves, and who are living in settlements with functioning markets.

A record of 400,000 refugees in Uganda camps, including displaced persons at the Kyangwali and Rwamwanja settlements from mainly war-ravaged Burundi and neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, will benefit from four recent contributions totalling nearly $30 million (sh99b).

A statement from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said the contributions from mainly the United States of America and the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department (ECHO) and Japan will enable "more refugees in Uganda to receive food assistance than ever before."

"This funding will enable WFP to continue providing food, cash and life-saving nutrition support for a record number of refugees over the next three to four months," Michael Dunford, WFP's Country Director for Uganda, said.

"WFP is extremely grateful to all the donors for providing such generous funds early in the year, helping us to meet the needs of the refugees efficiently and effectively," Dunford said.

"We can use these resources to purchase food on the local and regional market for relief support, and for treatment of moderate acute malnutrition among young children, pregnant women and new mothers," Dunford said.

The refugee population in Uganda - already the largest the country has ever hosted - continues to grow amid on-going crises in several neighbouring countries. In January, nearly 12,000 refugees arrived from South Sudan, and more refugees continue to arrive daily from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Uganda currently hosts approximately 520,000 refugees, the majority of whom arrived in the past several years and depend heavily on humanitarian assistance.

WFP offers a choice between food and cash for refugees who have been in the country longer and are better able to support themselves, and who are living in settlements with functioning markets.

This is the case in Adjumani, Rhino Camp, Lobule, Kiryandongo, Kyaka II and Kyangwali and Rwamwanja refugee camps.

Providing cash allows families the flexibility to meet their food needs, buy fresh foods and diversify their diets. A key component of food security is people's ability to choose their preferred food items.

ECHO has prioritised cash distributions within its contribution. This year, for the first time, WFP will exceed 50,000 cash recipients amongst the refugee population, the statement said.

Under its progressive policy, the Government of Uganda allocates land for refugee families, empowering them to sustain livelihoods and foster integration into Ugandan communities.        

Some of the funding from Japan will support refugees and host communities to boost their agricultural earnings and self-reliance through a joint livelihoods programme developed by WFP, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and the United Nations Higher Commissioner for Refugees.

The joint programme encourages peaceful co-existence between refugees and host populations, and has been developed in line with OPM's settlement transformation agenda - a component of the second National Development Plan. WFP, OPM and UNHCR are implementing this programme among longer-term refugees in Kyangwali and Rwamwanja and the surrounding host communities.

WFP will work with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to complement its (JICA) New Rice for Africa (NERICA) project with specialized trainings and infrastructure such as community grain stores, warehouses and household storage equipment.

 

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