Uganda Red Cross Society has donated non- food relief items to victims of a devastating fire that gutted houses in Nadunget, Lopeei, and Lorengedwat sub-counties within the Karamoja sub-region.
On Wednesday, URCS extended crucial support to 220 affected households in Moroto, Napak, and Nabilatuk districts.
Each household received a comprehensive relief package, which included two blankets, two mats, a tarpaulin, a kitchen set (comprising saucepans, plates, cups, spoons, and forks), a solar lamp with phone-charging capabilities, two bars of soap, two mosquito nets, and a jerrycan.
This coordinated effort, undertaken alongside the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and the Disaster Management Committees (DMCs) of the three districts, sought to provide essential non-food items to the affected families.
The distribution in Nabilatuk was conducted at the Early Childhood Development Centre in Longoleyek village, Nathinyonoit parish, Lorengedwat Subcounty.
The event was attended by key dignitaries, including area MP Achia Remegio, Nabilatuk Woman MP Awas Silvia Vickie, Deputy RDC Jimmy Tebanyang Kikuyu, District Chairperson Paul Lokol, and URCS representatives, John Cliff Wamala and Martha Imamut.
During the event, MP Awas Silvia Vickie commended URCS for its prompt response, urging beneficiaries to use the relief items responsibly to build resilience.
Similarly, Deputy RDC Kikuyu warned against hazardous practices like bush burning and using fire to trap rats, which are believed to have contributed to the fires that destroyed over 190 manyatas, displaced more than 500 individuals, and left nearly 300 households homeless.
“The government has introduced various poverty alleviation programs, such as the Parish Development Model, to promote modern farming practices and improve livelihoods. I urge you to embrace these initiatives and abandon dangerous activities that risk lives,” Kikuyu said.
District Chairperson Paul Lokol expressed gratitude to URCS for its timely intervention, stating that the distributed items would significantly aid the affected families in developing coping mechanisms.
“The fires not only destroyed homes but also wiped-out food supplies stored in granaries and cereal fields. While we appeal to other well-wishers for food support, the items from URCS serve as a foundation for recovery,” Lokol remarked.
He also highlighted that many victims lost their savings, often kept at home, to the fires.
John Cliff Wamala, URCS Communication and Media Relations Officer, thanked OPM and local leaders for their collaboration and encouraged beneficiaries to utilize the relief items effectively.
He stressed that the intervention prioritized the most vulnerable groups, including pregnant women, child-headed households, persons with disabilities, and the elderly.
Wamala reiterated URCS’s commitment to supporting the community through psychosocial services and ongoing community engagement through the area branch and the trained Red Cross action teams.
The fire incidents that begun on December 27, 2024 in Nadunget Subcounty, Moroto District, followed by outbreaks on December 28 in Lopeei Subcounty, Napak District, and Lorengedwat Subcounty, Nabilatuk District destroyed houses, household items and food supplies.
Uganda Red Cross Society’s rapid response, informed by a needs assessment conducted with OPM and local authorities, underscores its dedication to addressing the urgent humanitarian needs of the most vulnerable communities