Integral has launched a Disaster Response for the worsening food crisis in Karamoja, Uganda. Currently seven Integral Members are responding to this severe food and malnutrition crisis.[1]
Karamoja has Uganda’s highest levels of food insecurity and malnutrition, with the country in the grip of the current drought affecting the whole of East Africa. More than 500,000 people in Karamoja (out of a population of 766,300) need food assistance, and about 100,000 children and pregnant and lactating women are acutely malnourished. Uganda already hosts over 1.5 million refugees, the largest refugee population in Africa. [Source here]. Regional conflict and the resulting insecurity are making the already serious situation much worse.
Malvern Chikanya, Country Director for Food for the Hungry in Uganda says, “Acute malnutrition in Karamoja is increasing daily. Families have resorted to one meal a day, sending children to work and marrying off young girls just to be able to buy food. It is truly heart breaking. Integral Alliance Members in Uganda have come together to coordinate and identify how to work jointly to mobilise resources and provide further assistance to address this, alongside their existing projects.”
Malvern continues, “My hope is that over the next six months we will be able to assist the most vulnerable in these communities by increasing their food security, but also be able to do more by working together.”
In the initial stages of an Integral response, calls are held as frequently as necessary, so that Members can share information in the critical phase when needs are acute. The Integral online platform enables Members to share photos and stories, response plans and funding needs.
[1] Food for the Hungry (USA & Canada), Medical Teams Int (USA), Tearfund (UK), Tearfund Australia, Tearfund Netherlands, World Relief (USA), ZOA (Netherlands)
