As of June 2019, WFP Uganda provided monthly unconditional, unrestricted cash transfers to around 360,000 refugees in eight settlements that include; Adjumani, Rhino, Kiryandongo, Lobule, Kyaka II, Rwamwanja, Kyangwali and Nakivale.
Refugees at Ayilo II Settlement Camp in Adjumani district recieve cash-based food assistance from the World Food Proamme (WFP) - Phot by Dominic Ochola
The World Food Programme – WFP has said it is recording more
refugees in Uganda opting for cash assistance instead of food. WFP currently transfers
31,000 shillings each month to each refugee to help them meet basic needs.
As of June 2019, WFP Uganda provided cash
transfers to around 360,000 refugees in eight settlements that include;
Adjumani, Rhino, Kiryandongo, Lobule, Kyaka II, Rwamwanja, Kyangwali and
Nakivale.
In Adjumani alone, between 2,000 and 5,000 people make the change from food to cash each
month. WFP indicates that they are providing money to about 131,000 out of over 240,000 refugees.
Adao Chol, a resident of Block B in Ayilo II Refugee Settlement Camp in
Adjumani district notes that the money helps to address
immediate beneficiary needs more cost-effective than food assistance.
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Another resident Tabban Thomas James notes more people are embracing cash
because its flexibility and gives the beneficiary greater decision-making
power.
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But Jacqueline Naito Joseph, a mother of 10 argues that WFP lowered their cash
transfers from initial 45,000 to 31,000 shillings per head which is not enough
to meet the ever increasing cost of living.
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Petroc Wilton, the WFP Uganda
Communications Officer disclosed that WFP expects to reach up to 500,000
refugees with cash by the end of 2019.
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WFP established the current cash transfer value in 2017. The transfer value is
equivalent to the average market prices of the commodities that make up the
in-kind food basket in different settlements across the country, including
cereals, beans, oil and salt.
The West Nile as well as Acholi sub-regions host over 60 percent of Uganda’s
1.3 million refugees who mostly hail from South Sudan and the Democratic
Republic of Congo.
Through a mix of food, nutritional and cash support for programmes such as
school feeding, WFP reaches nearly 600,000 refugees monthly across both
regions.
The region also hosts a 30,000 metric-ton capacity regional
warehouse in Gulu, which is key to WFP operations in South Sudan.
Ochola's journalism career begun from Radio King 90.2 FM in Gulu around 2009, and Radio Rupiny 95.7 Fm under Vision Group in 2012. He also reported for Mighty Fire 91.5 Fm, Kitgum in 2015 before joining Wizarts Foundation in 2017.
He has been reporting for Uganda Radio Network (URN) since 2017 before being posted as Bureau Chief Kitgum, and latr Gulu between 2018 - 2021. Currently, he reports from Parliament.
