Press Release | U.S. Government Assisting Flood-Affected Ugandans in Mt. Elgon Area
Kampala, August 31, 2022 – The U.S. Government and the American people, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is responding to the needs of the Ugandan people affected by the disastrous flooding and landslides in Eastern Uganda by providing cash payments to 2,500 of the most severely impacted households.
Heavy, sustained rainfall July 30-31 resulted in significant flooding, landslides, and mudslides across six districts of the Mt. Elgon Sub-region where three major rivers burst their banks and flooded low-lying areas. The best available data indicates that the disaster affected approximately 100,000 Ugandans.
After the Government of Uganda requested international humanitarian assistance, U.S. Ambassador Natalie E. Brown issued a Declaration of Humanitarian Need for flooding, landslides, and mudslides in the affected regions, as well as for additional potential impacts from continued heavy rain should they meet specified criteria.
The United States through USAID is awarding Catholic Relief Services (CRS) funds to provide 2,500 households with a one-time cash transfer of between UGX 386,000 to UGX 536,000. The cash will be sent directly to identified, vulnerable households in the hardest-hit districts of Mbale, Bududa, Bukedea, and Bulambuli to help meet basic needs such as food, sanitation, and temporary shelter, all of which are available for purchase in markets accessible to the recipients.
To ensure that U.S. assistance reaches the most vulnerable, CRS will coordinate with local government officials and affected communities, and also consult with those who work with marginalized groups such as women, children, persons with disabilities, and the elderly. USAID will continue to liaise with the Ugandan government and relief agencies to determine the type and amount of potential additional assistance.
For additional information, please contact:
Dorothy Nanyonga, Information Assistant
U.S. Mission Uganda
Tel: +256-414-250-314 x6104 Cell: 0772-138-194
Email: KampalaPress@state.gov
