As part of our emergency respons ActionAid handed over agricultural tools to Congolese refugees on May 27th in Kyangwali Refugees Settlement Camp in Hoima District in
Western Uganda
The items worth UGS 86m (UDS 42.000) included hoes, spades, pangas, slashers and were mainly distributed among new coming refugees.
The aim is to improve access to income and food availability. By giving out agricultural tools, we give help to self help, said James Kintu Policy Manger, while handing over the items.
48.000 Congolese refugees have sought refugee in Uganda since the fighting started between rebel leader Gen Laurent Nkunda CNDP soldiers, ethnic Hutu Rwandan rebels and the DRC troops in September 2008.
About 17.000 of these were first hosted in Matanda transit camp, close to the border between Congo and Uganda where ActionAid responded to the emergency by proving non food items, dignity kits to mothers and supplementary foods to children and breastfeeding mothers.
ActionAid also supported HIV/AIDS counseling activities and psycho-social training for volunteers.
In December 2008 Matanda transit camp closed and the Congolese refugees were relocated. Since then 7000 Congolese people, with no more to loose than the last hope for a future, have entered Kyangwali Refugees Settlement Camp.
One of them 42 years old Kiza Abdezyia tells her story:
"My problems started one night when CNDP soldiers came to to our home and wanted my husband to go to war. He refused and they killed him and one of our sons. Nkunda soldiers always go for the boys and I had to flee to Uganda to safe my other four sons. I would not know how to find my way back now."
When Kiza Abdezyia arrived in Kyangwali in February 2009 she was allocated a small piece of land (110 x 50 m2) to cultivate and settle on. She was also given some maize seeds to plant to start her new life.
ActionAids support of agricultural tools will assist her and her family in this effort. But the support does not stop here. A needs assesment is underway for a long term livelihoodprogramme. It will focus on improving agricultural production especially for new arrivals and be implemented in collaboration with UNHCR and the Ugandan Government.
Livelyhood interventions are very welcome. They go a long way because they reduce dependency and make sure that the refugees can move on, says Commissioner David Apollo Kazungu from Office of the Prime Minister which is in charge of refugees in Uganda.