Red Cross gives shs66.8m cash relief to Kisoro families affected by landslides

With support from European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO), Uganda Red Cross has supported communities affected by disasters in Kisoro with cash relief.

The cash relief of shs66.8 million follows relief nonfood items distributed in January after nine people died in mudslides and landslides that ravaged Kisoro, and left hundreds displaced. "Cash transfer helps us to allow people make choices of what they need and this promotes dignity. Instead of just determining what we need to give to the affected families, we then give them money to meet their immediate needs,” said Joram Musinguzi, a cash transfer program specialist at Uganda Red Cross.

While speaking to the affected families, Manase Rukundo who doubles as Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and Chairman Kisoro District Disaster Management Committee appreciated the Red Cross and ECHO for the timely support both in cash and non-food core relief to the affected families.

He also called upon the community to utilise the funds in a way that is befitting.

"I appeal to the people who have received sash to utilize it well and cope amidst the many competing family priorities,” Manase urged.

A total of  224 families from Nyarusiza,  Muramba and Bunagana Sub-counties received this multipurpose cash to enable them meet immediate needs such as food, digging kits and shelter restoration.

The cash given was based on the Minimum Expenditure Basket (MEB) assessment conducted of shs35,000 for food, shs30,000  for digging kits plus shs300,000 for shelter.

European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO )extended this support through the Netherlands Red Cross led consortium in Uganda.