CERF provides $7 million to aid Congolese refugees in Uganda

13 July 2012: The United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has provided US$6,887,544 to six UN agencies and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in response to an influx of over 30,000 refugees fleeing fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The number of Congolese refugees crossing into south-western Uganda has dramatically increased since May 2012 following clashes between M23 forces and the Congolese army (FARDC). As the fighting continues, the refugee situation is worsening.

The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is leading the UN’s response to the emergency, in coordination with the Office of the Prime Minister and other humanitarian partner organizations, to address the refugees’ needs. UNHCR received $2,804,898 to register new arrivals, manage the transit centre and referral system for unaccompanied children, and to transport refugees from the transit centre to refugee settlements. Funding will allow UNHCR to distribute shelter kits and household items to new arrivals, provide additional teachers for primary schools, and rehabilitate water points, latrines and roads within the settlements.

To help meet refugee food-security requirements, the World Food Programme (WFP) received $1,831,225 from the Fund to ensure emergency food is provided to 30,000 new refugees in all settlements. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) received $278,457 to distribute seeds and agricultural inputs to all new arrivals.

To support the nutrition requirements of children and breastfeeding mothers, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) received a $1,150,975 grant. UNICEF will also provide emergency education materials for primary-school children, help establish temporary teaching and child-friendly learning spaces, and provide 5,000 hygiene kits for adolescent girls. UNICEF will also support the construction of eight new boreholes at Rwamwanja settlement.

IOM received $465,192 to provide clean water for 18,000 refugees through borehole construction. IOM will also provide materials to construct 4,000 latrines, and support the rehabilitation of a health centre and a primary school.

With a $156,418 grant, the World Health Organization (WHO) will support improvements to basic medical care, immunization outreach and disease surveillance through technical support to health centres and referral hospitals, and training of health workers. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) received $200,379 to provide emergency life-saving interventions for pregnant women to ensure safe delivery. The agency will also support gender-based violence (GBV) prevention activities through community education and health worker training on GBV case management.

For more information about CERF, visit: www.unocha.org/cerf