The European Commission has provided EUR 150,000 (UGX 566 million) in humanitarian funding to assist the families most affected by the recent extensive rains, resulting in flooding and landslides in multiple districts in eastern Uganda near Mount Elgon.

The European Commission has provided EUR 150,000 (UGX 566 million) in humanitarian funding to assist the families most affected by the recent extensive rains, resulting in flooding and landslides in multiple districts in eastern Uganda near Mount Elgon. The heavy rainfall has led to the loss of life, hospitalisations and the destruction of homes and infrastructure.Over 20.000 people have been affected, 24 people killed and hundreds of homes damaged or destroyed. Road infrastructure, health centres, schools and water facilities have also been affected by the flooding, posing a great risk of waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid.

The EU funds will support the Ugandan Red Cross Society (URCS) in delivering much-needed relief assistance in the aftermath of the floods and landslides, especially to displaced families whose houses were extensively damaged by the heavy rains. Assistance will include the provision of emergency essential household items, including blankets, mosquito nets, solar lamps, jerry cans, soap and kitchen sets, as well as tarpaulins for temporary shelter.

The URCS will further provide multi-purpose cash and voucher assistance to meet the food, livelihoods, and shelter as well as basic needs of the 500 most vulnerable households in the Elgon sub-region. The approach is based on the needs and response assessment that informed the cash and voucher support feasibility among the affected communities.

Many of the affected have also taken shelter in government schools and community halls. With overcrowding and limited sanitation facilities, the risk of a disease outbreak is high. This funding will support the provision of water treatment tablets to prevent water-borne diseases. The URCS will reinforce health centres with mobile health teams to reach the most vulnerable people. The Red Cross society will also conduct health promotion exercises, give psychosocial support as well as provide menstrual hygiene kits for women and girls of reproductive age.

Running for four months, this operation will assist over 9,000 people in the 3 most affected districts including Mbale, Bulambuli and Bukedea districts.

The funding is part of the EU's overall contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Delegation of the European Union to Uganda.