EU gives UGX 12bn to refugees in Kyaka II, Kyangwali settlement

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The European Union-EU has given 12 billion shillings to support refugees.

The over twelve-month project was on Thursday launched at the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) country offices in Kampala.

Funded through the European Union’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department the project is aimed at meeting the basic needs of over 3,500 vulnerable households.

The project is expected to benefit 18, 000 individuals from the 3,500 households in the two settlements of Kyaka II and Kyangwali, located in the Kyegegwa and Kikuube districts respectively.

The settlements continue to receive new arrivals of refugees fleeing violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo-DRC.

Isabelle D’Haudt, the Head of EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations in Uganda, says that their goal is to ensure that the most vulnerable refugees are safe and that their basic needs are covered.

“This means providing them with shelter, food, water, protection and helping them on the path to self-reliance,” she says.

The project, a consortium led by the Danish Refugee Council in Uganda in partnership with the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and Action against Hunger (ACF) will also increase refugees resilience, and protect the environment in the refugee-hosting areas.

Severine Moisy, Head of Programmes at the Danish Refugee Council says that for the first time, they have a project where the households will be at the centre of operations.

‘‘We designed assistance around the refugee household; partners are bringing together their efforts into one coordinated and standardised approach across the board to be used for selected households having specific needs,’’ she says.

Uganda hosts up to 1.2 million refugees, majority from DRC and South Sudan.

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