GLIDE No. FL-2007-000138-UGA
Period covered by this Final Report: September 2007 to July 2008
Appeal target (current): CHF 11,413,603 (USD 9,511,366 or EUR 6,942,581);
Final Appeal coverage: 69%;
Appeal history:
- This Emergency Appeal was initially launched on a preliminary basis on 20 September 2007 for CHF 8,928,075 for 6 months to assist 100,000 beneficiaries.
- A total of five operations updates were issued.
- A Revised Emergency Appeal for CHF 11,413,603 was issued on 18 December 2007 to assist 125,000 beneficiaries for 10 months.
- The total income for this appeal was CHF 7,863,044 of which CHF 7,746,116 was spent. The Federation on behalf of Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) requests the donors that the balance of CHF116, 928 be used to procure pre-positioning stock (tarpulains and blankets). If no objections are received within 90 days of this report publication, procurements will be made accordingly. A final financial report will be issued after this balance is spent.
- CHF 174,197 (USD 144,802 or EUR 105,959) was initially allocated from the Federation's Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF), on 3 September 2007, to support this operation.
Summary: This operation was implemented over 10 months starting September 2007 and completed by July 2008. During this period the URCS constructed latrines in primary schools in Amuria and Katakwi Districts. This was aimed at reducing incidences of waterborne and vector transmitted diseases due to lack of proper sanitation facilities. Family latrines were also constructed in Acowa, Asamuk and Kapelebyong parishes in Amuria district. Bathing shelters were also constructed for households in Usuk sub-county in Katakwi district. Boreholes in Amuria District were rehabilitated to reduce incidences of waterborne diseases due to lack of access to clean water and contamination of water sources.
URCS volunteers were trained in effective water source management and Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation (PHAST) in order to ensure proper maintenance of water sources and promote hygiene. Water user committees were established to sensitize and support water-users based on the participatory hygiene and transformation approach in the respective communities. Radio spots and talk shows awareness sessions were also conducted in Amuria and Katakwi Districts to promote sanitation and hygiene improvement at both the community and household level. Bars of soaps were distributed to the floods affected households in Amuria and Katakwi Districts in order to support hygiene promotion. Borehole pump repair kits were distributed to sub-counties in Amuria (Kapelebyong, Acowa) and Katakwi (Toroma, Kapujan) districts and latrine digging kits distributed to floods affected households in Amuria and Katakwi. Contaminated water sources were also disinfected with chlorine.
This operation was conducted in collaboration with the Ugandan Government, the Federation, Danish Red Cross Society as well as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). United Nations Agencies including UN-OCHA, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and World Food Programme (WFP) also collaborated in different capacities.
The situation
The eastern and northern parts of Uganda experienced heavy rains during the months of July and September 2007 causing severe flooding which led to the destruction of several infrastructures and farmlands. Soroti, Amuria, Katakwi, Bukedea, Kumi, Lira and Sironko Districts in the two regions were severely affected. The magnitude of the destruction was enormous with 80 percent of crops submerged under the flood waters, roads and bridges washed away and this led the Uganda Government to declare a state of emergency in the affected areas. Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) in collaboration with other humanitarian agencies responded to the crisis by providing necessary humanitarian assistance to the affected persons.
According to the findings of the assessments conducted by URCS, it was estimated that more than 20,000 households were severely affected and 58,000 people displaced. With about 80 percent of crops destroyed by floods, food insecurity was imminent. Uganda Red Cross Society did an early recovery programme in a bid to assist the floods affected communities. Programme components such as shelter, water and sanitation and food security were started as a mid-term measure to empower communities to recover from the disaster and be prepared for future disasters.
Red Cross and Red Crescent action
Overview
Uganda Red Cross Society took the lead role in the humanitarian operation among other humanitarian agencies to help save the lives of the most vulnerable floods affected communities. The National Society trained its volunteers in data collection and assessment to identify the most urgent needs of the affected communities, carried out distribution of non food items such as soap, blankets, water containers, kitchen sets, purification sachets, tarpaulins, mosquito nets and family kits. Furthermore the National Society initiated health activities to address cases of malaria and provision of safe clean water benefiting a total of 25,000 households.