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Appeal
Uganda
Congolese Refugee Influx in Uganda – UGA152
Appeal Target: US$ 462,136
Balance Requested: US$ 388,824
Geneva, 30 July 2015
Dear Colleagues,
The recent escalation of conflict in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has resulted in a renewed influx of Congolese refugees in Uganda. A new wave of attacks by the suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and Mai Mai that hit the Eastern DRC forced thousands of Congolese to reportedly flee from possible abduction, forced recruitment and rape.
The refugees are received at the Nyakabande transit centre in Kisoro district, at the southern border between Uganda and DRC. From Kisoro, they are transported to various refugee settlement sites including Rwamwanja, where LWF is operational in the newly opened Mahiga site. From January 2015, a total of 8’459 new arrivals were received in Rwamwanja Refugee settlement and over 1’000 asylum seekers were also received. As of June 2015, 4’017 new refugees had been settled in the site of Mahiga and more are expected. The new influx continues to over stretch the limited services in the settlement and the new arrivals are in immediate need of life saving assistance. The majority of new arrivals are women and children. With an increasing population often traumatized by the conflict and a high percentage of vulnerable people at risk of Gender Based Violence, child abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence.
The ACT Uganda Forum will contribute to the immediate assistance and early recovery of the Congolese refugees, in order to reduce the impact of the crisis among the refugees and the host communities in in Mahiga site (within the Rwamwanja Refugee settlement, in Kamwenge District), through the following ACT members: the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), the Finn Church Aid (FCA) and the Uganda Joint Christian Council (UJCC).
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