Uganda Red Cross Society Supports Bulambuli landslide victims with Nonfood Items.

The Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS), has donated non-food items worth 40 million shillings to the victims of the recent landslides.

The landslides that were triggered by a heavy downpour in Bulambuli on 25th May left five people dead, injuring several others and directly affecting over 200 households (1000 people). The fatal incident was in the parishes of Bumasobo and Buluganya in the villages of Masugu, Namakere, Kagulu and Namagugu, Bulambuli district. The affected households are in urgent need of shelter, food, clothing among others.

Under the coordination of the office of the Prime Minister, Uganda Red Cross has given out relief non-food items to 200 families and the office of the Prime Minister will deliver food aid to the victims. The distribution of the items was witnessed off by the state minister for refugees, relief and disaster preparedness, Hon Esther Davinia Anyakun, URCS Secretary General Mr. Robert Kwesiga, Bulambuli woman member of Parliament Hon. Irene Muloni and other Bulambuli district officials.

The items comprised of solar lamps, blankets, tarpaulins, jerrycans, mosquito nets, bars of soap, cups, plates, knives, saucepans and aqua tabs.

While handing over the items, in an event that was at Bukibologoto primary school, the URCS Secretary General, Mr. Robert Kwesiga expressed sympathy to the victims and pledged more support.

“We will give out cash through our Cash Transfer Program, and also support women with Menstrual Hygiene management kits." Kwesiga said.

The state minister for refugees, relief and disaster preparedness, Hon Esther Davinia Anyakun, who received the consignment and was the guest of honor at the handover event thanked the Uganda Red Cross Society for its timely responsiveness whenever a disaster strikes.

“We identify with families that lost dear ones and call upon those still staying in the affected areas to vacate because we don’t want to lose more lives,” Anyakun said.  

The Government has since 2019 been relocating landslide victims together with those living in high-risk areas of Mount Elgon region, in the districts of Bududa, Namisindwa, Bulambuli, Manafwa and Sironko to Bunambutye sub county in Bulambuli district.

Over 500 house holds in Karamoja region have been supported with drought-resistant seeds.

The Uganda Red Cross Society distributed 6 tones of seeds through a partnership with the Bank of Uganda. This partnership aims to end food insecurity in the region.

The seeds which included maize, beans and sorghum were distributed to communities in Lokopo sub-county in Napak District and Nadunget sub-county in Moroto District. Each household was given 5 Kg of Maize, 5 kg of Beans, and 2 kg of sorghum.

Lokopo Sub-county Chief, Miriam Lochoro notes that; “Last year the Karamoja region had a big  challenge of insecurity and people didn't plant anything. We also faced a prolonged drought. We are happy to receive the drought-resistant seeds because they will help the affected households to meet their feeding needs”.

“I thank the Uganda Red Cross Society and the bank of Uganda for supporting our communities overcome food insecurity,”Lochoro adds. Some of the beneficiaries show off their seeds after the distribution exercise at Lokopo Subcounty headquarters, Napak District.  

While speaking to the participants, the Program Manager Food Security and Livelihood, at the Red Cross Society, Thomas Akol  said: "The distribution has been done basing on the most affected households. We focus on households which are female headed, the elderly but have support of youth that can do agriculture and also households that are child headed.”

“From the seeds we’ve provided an average household will be able to grow food on 1.5 acres of land. We thank the bank of Uganda for the support and we also thank the Government for which we’ve been coordinating with,” Akol adds.

About Karamoja.

In 2022, the region suffered widespread crop losses and harvest failure due to delayed rains resulting in hunger. The region has also registered incidences of insecurity and cattle raids by armed cattle rustlers leaving the affected households vulnerable.

Data from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) shows Karamoja as one of the poorest regions in Uganda, with income poverty at 66% (having increased from 61% in 2017) and food poverty at 75% (having increased from 70% in 2017) (UBOS: UNHS 2019/20).

It’s a chilly Tuesday morning in Imvepi refugee settlement. Agnes Anguparu resolutely leads her team as they prepare tools to get the day’s work done.

Dressed in the Red Cross branded protective gear and wearing face masks to shield them from the strong faecal stench, the team works with undivided devotion. On this day, the team is emptying toilets at Imvepi base camp using a gulper.

They insert a gulper in the toilet and manually operated to empty the thick and already decomposed faecal into blue plastic blue drums. After filling up all the drums, they bundle them onto a tricycle and transport it to the treatment plant that is about 30 kilometers away.

Anguparu, 33, is a Red Cross volunteer and leads a team of 10 at the fecal sludge treatment plant. Her and her team carry out maintenance at the treatment plant as well as deluging and damping of the fecal.

“Many women fear this kind of work and think it is for men, but me I love it. It’s gives me pride since I know it’s for the betterment of my community and I am saving lives.” Anguparu says.

“When I empty the latrine and people are able to use it again, I then sensitize them about latrine usage, maintenance, and faecal management. It gives me so much joy,” she adds.

Agnes Anguparu and a colleague pupping the gulper at a base camp toilet in Imvepi refuge settlement

In West Nile, the only existing faecal treatment plant is in Arua city, leaving a gap in the nearby areas of Koboko, Madi-Okolo and Terego Districts.

This explains why Uganda Red Cross Society put up a faecal sludge and solid waste management plant in Imvepi, Terego District. The plant’s main intention is to promote hygiene and sanitation within the refugee settlement but also as a tool of resource mobilization for the National Society.

“If the organization could help us buy a cesspool emptier, it will help us do our work better. The road network in the region is also not good but what we do is service to our community,” she says.

Adding that; “During the rainy season, our work is much harder. The tricycles sometimes overturn which affects the efficiency of our work.”

Ibahim Mukisa, the faecal sludge and solid waste management plant manager says Anguparu is hardworking and has remained committed to her job over the years. 3 ladies opted out when we upgraded from hygiene promotion to faecal sludge but Anguparu remained steadfast.

About the plant

Solid waste and faecal sludge management in situations of rapid mass displacement are important to public health and providing for a better environment. Despite this, both have been neglected in WASH programmes which tend to have a focus on Water and Hygiene. However, increasing efforts are being made to find solutions to challenges in solid waste and faecal sludge management in difficult circumstances in humanitarian emergencies.

Mukisa says emptying a latrine using a cesspool emptier would cost 1 million to 1.5 million Uganda shillings a figure that many refugees can’t afford. The Plant offers the same services using tricycles at subsidized prices for the refugees and do it for free for persons with special needs (PSNs) as well for the disabled.

“We have improved the hygiene and sanitation of schools, markets and partner organizations. Institutions no longer construct new latrines. We help them empty those that are full at a cost friendly cost. Mukisa says.

The treatment plant has a field laboratory to carry out quality control of different parameters such as COD, TS, TSS whose results are at Uganda NWSC standards. The treatment plant is as well testing and piloting an emergency faecal sludge treatment plant at the facility which will be easy to manage and movable from one emergency to another.

This is under the BIMYSAWA project, an acronym for Long Term Safe water coverage for Bidibidi, Imvepi and Yumbe Settlements. The project is being implemented by the Uganda Red Cross Society in partnership with the Austrian Red Cross with funding from the Austrian Development Agency(ADA).

Uganda Red Cross Society has today received 1,250 Buffalo bicycles from World Bicycle Relief aimed at empowering its volunteers to overcome the challenge of distance while serving the communities in which they live.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Mr. Robert Kwesiga the Secretary General Uganda Red Cross Society appreciated World Bicycle Relief for the donation. He further noted that “the bicycles have come at a time when the National Society is grappling to find ways to ease mobility for volunteers in the field, noting that some of the volunteers walk up to 10km with a backpack moreover in difficult terrain to reach the communities.”

Mr. Sean Granville - Ross, Senior Global Director of Programs, Buffalo bicycles in his remarks noted that the bicycles are designed for rural Africa and meant to allow people challenged with distance to overcome the problem of distance. “We hope that the Buffalo bicycles will contribute to the mandate and mission of Uganda Red Cross Society through enabling the to reach more people quickly hence saving more lives.” The 1,200 Buffalo bicycles will be distributed through five regional hubs including Soroti, Lira, Gulu, West Nile and South West – Mbarara/ Nakivale.

Ross further committed that World Bicycle Relief will train mechanics within the regional hubs and are currently establishing shops to sell Buffalo bicycles spare parts that the beneficiaries can easily access. This will create opportunities for the young people to train as mechanics and also work in the shops. He further noted that “we understand that you have over 500,000 volunteers ,1250 is only the beginning of the journey.” Ends.

About Uganda Red Cross . Uganda Red Cross Society is a membership humanitarian organization incorporated in 1964, by an enactment of the Red Cross Act, Cap 57 of the laws of Uganda. Uganda Red Cross Society plays an auxiliary role to the Government of Uganda, to support humanitarian and emergency causes across the country in an impartial and independent manner, irrespective of race, nationality, ethnic background, political opinions or religious affiliations. URCS currently has 500,000 registered members and volunteers countrywide with Fifteen (15) Million beneficiaries and people reached during the period 2020 – 2022.

About Buffalo Bicycles Buffalo Bicycles is a wholly-owned, for-profit subsidiary of World Bicycle Relief, a non-profit organization transforming lives through the power of bicycles. Profits from the sale of Buffalo Bicycles help fund World Bicycle Relief's philanthropic programs while building sustainable bicycle infrastructure in Africa.

Buffalo Bicycles is an initiative of World Bicycle Relief. It is a leading commercial brand of bicycles with a bicycle assembly facility and a storage capacity of 5,000 bicycles. They offer complete reliability and comfort and are dedicated to providing access to independence and livelihoods. Buffalo Bicycles have been forensically lab tested to withstand the rough and tough terrains of the country. The rear rack/carrier has a carrying capacity of over 100kg, and a durable seat with twin springs for comfort.