FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Mbale, Uganda – July 10, 2024) – Oxfam in Uganda, and consortium partners, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Caritas Tororo and Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) have today launched the Mt Elgon Regional contingency Warehouse in Mbale City at URCS Offices.

Funded by the European Union Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (ECHO), the warehouse is part of the disaster preparedness and response actions under  the ‘Strengthening Community-led Actions on Disaster Preparedness and Response," a two-year project – that is implemented in Bududa, Namisindwa, Sironko, Butaleja and Mbale districts (2 sub-counties per district).

The warehouse stores Non-Food Items (NFIs) such as hygiene and WASH kits, soap, wheel barrows, buckets, jerry cans, tarpaulins, blankets, water storage tanks, cooking pans and others.

Since its establishment, the consortium members have kept contingency stock worth 120,100 Euros (about 470M UGX)

The decision to establish this warehouse in the Mt. Elgon region was deliberate due to its susceptibility to various disasters, such as floods, landslides, hailstorms, and epidemics. 

The warehouse is managed by the established committee of 10 members from the district local governments of Butaleja, Mbale, Sironko, Bududa and Namisindwa and Consortium members, which is activated once a disaster happens and takes charge of the warehouse once the a response is required. The committee also has developed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure efficiency and accountability in stock handling.

The contingency warehouse complements the ongoing government efforts, and existing local structures to enable timely response, and provide access to emergency relief stocks to the local actors.

The warehouse will continue to enable the consortium members and the government to timely serve the disaster prone communities in Mt Elgon region.

While delivering the Country Director’s remarks, Edward Mwebaze, the Head of Program, Oxfam in Uganda said ‘’The decision to set up the warehouse in the Mt Elgon region is intentional, given the area’s vulnerability to several calamities, including floods, landslides, hailstorms, and epidemics. This move will reinforce our preparedness and ability to respond to disasters,’’

Edward added that ‘Oxfam is committed to responding to disasters to enable people to live dignified lives amidst crises and disasters. This warehouse will boost our capacity to deliver timely emergency relief by strategically placing the non-food items,"

The ‘Strengthening Community-led Actions on Disaster Preparedness and Response,’’ project was implemented for two years (September 2022 to August 2024), at a tune of 1.7 Million Euros, (about 6.7B UGX) targeted 141,256 people (71,251- female and 70,005- male) .

Since 2022, the project has reached 259,200 people (127,008 males and 132,192 females) with capacity enhancement training, early warning systems, anticipatory actions, and life-saving assistance through cash transfers and Non-Food Items (NFIs).

The interventions have built effective linkages between early warning and early action and support gender-sensitive district contingency planning in the targeted districts.

Oxfam has implemented a series of interventions in the Mt Elgon region over the years, aimed to provide lifesaving essential WASH interventions to enhance communities' ability to prevent and protect themselves against WASH-related diseases after the disasters.

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For media inquiries, please contact

Dorah Ntunga | Media and Communications Coordinator - Dorah.ntunga@oxfam.org

Notes to Editors

Project Impact Areas

  • Enhancing local capacity to identify, prepare for, and respond to multiple hazards.
  • Strengthening institutional linkages, coordination, information sharing, and advocacy for disaster risk financing.
  • Implementing effective locally driven responses through cost-effective crisis modifiers..

Target Reach: 141,256 people directly (71,251- female and 70,005- male)

Project Duration: 2022 – 2024

Total Budget: 1.7 Million Euros

Geographical coverage: Bududa, Namisindwa, Sironko, Butalejja and Mbale districts (2 sub-counties per district)

About Oxfam in Uganda

Oxfam in Uganda is part of the Oxfam Confederation, a global movement of people fighting to end inequality and injustice. In Uganda, our work is guided by the Country Strategic Framework (2021-2030), organized around four themes: Governance and Accountability, Resilient Livelihoods, Humanitarian preparedness and response and Gender Justice and Women's Rights. All the themes work towards influencing policy and practice, promoting youth and women empowerment, inclusive participation in decision-making at various levels, and capacity strengthening of national and local actors.

 

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