Uganda (August 23, 2011) – The Salvation Army in Uganda is responding to the drought crisis that is developing in some parts of the country. As is being seen across the horn of Africa, people are dying because of a lack of food and water.
In central eastern Uganda, thousands of families have had poor harvests for the past five years, either because there was too little rain or – at other times – because there was so much rain that floods have destroyed the crops. The Salvation Army has been working in the area, distributing food to needy families – in some places The Salvation Army is the only non-governmental organization providing food.
Following recent landslides in a mountainous region, food was distributed to 680 families.
Staff from The Salvation Army's command headquarters and International Emergency Services visited villages in the Namutumba district near Mbale to assess the needs of 4,000 families. Projects are being arranged for food and sanitation goods to be supplied. Boreholes will be drilled to ensure water is available to the most needy of families, even as the drought takes a greater hold.
The most urgent need is for water in two medical clinics. Mothers have been bringing malnourished children into the clinics, but more than 80 have died this year alone. A water bore for the main clinic will help to boost survival rates.
The message from the Uganda Command and International Emergency Services is simple: please pray for the situation and support this work in any way possible.
Photographs are available here.
Donations to the Africa Disaster Fund at International Headquarters can be made online at http://www.salvationarmy.org
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