September 2017 – Uganda hosts the largest number of refugees in Africa, more than 1.3 million, with roughly two thirds of them having arrived from South Sudan since July 2016. This large and rapid influx has strained the humanitarian response capacity in northern Uganda to near breaking. New refugee settlements almost immediately reach full capacity, while service providers struggle to meet the most basic needs of the community. Overall, South Sudanese make up more than three quarters of the refugee population in Uganda (more than 1 million people). With GAC support, Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) is helping to provide support for water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), healthcare (including sexual and reproductive health), and protection for at least 15,000 South Sudanese refugees living in the newly established Lamwo settlement in northern Uganda. Activities include: (1) establishment of water points and sanitation facilities; (2) establishment and strengthening of protection services available to vulnerable groups, including from host communities; and (3) dissemination of complementary information regarding protection and related health services
The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved access to safe water and sanitation; and (2) improved access to health and protection knowledge and services amongst refugees and host populations. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved, suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crises or acute food insecurity.
