Red Cross gives cash support to 950 Kaabong families affected by drought

The Uganda Red Cross Society has handed cash support to 950 families affected by the prolonged dry spell in Kaabong district in Karamoja region.

According to Irene Nakasiita, the Uganda Red Cross spokesperson, following the drought, they conducted an assessment that helped them identify needs of people and settled for assistance in form of food.

She said that with support from Belgian Red Cross Flanders, Uganda Red Cross consequently supported the 950 families with cash

"As a way of ensuring proper dignity and choice, we chose to give cash assistance so that families can buy food of their choice. Each family has received shs100,000,”Nakasiita said .

According to the Red Cross spokesperson, Post Bank was contracted to deliver physical cash because many people don’t have mobile phones.

“We also wanted to avoid anomalies that come with mobile money transfers such as wrong recipients, system break down among others" Nakasiita added.

She explained that Red Cross together with the Kaabong district disaster management committee identified the most needy groups of people including lactating mothers, elderly , orphans, child headed homes and pregnant mothers among others.

These were in the three sub-counties of Loyoro, Kaabong East and  Lodiko.

Speaking at the function to hand over the cash, the Kaabong LC5 chairperson, Meri Jino Born applauded Red Cross for the initiative that he said is the first of the kind in the dstrict.

"This has come in very timely since this year we have not had any harvests. We will monitor families to ensure that they use the money in the best way possible. Many people are hungry and Starving. We call upon other development Partners to do like what the Red Cross has done and come to our rescue,” Meri noted.