Highlights
According to Government of Uganda’s Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) reports, a total of 15,139 refugees have arrived in Uganda since November 2014 and 50 per cent of them are children under the age of 18 years. The period 16th to 22nd October, 2015 saw the entry of a total of 39 new refugees up from the previous week’s 19 although still much lower than the 147 individuals who came in the previous fortnight.
UNICEF supported establishment and equipping of 15 new Outpatient Therapeutic Centres to facilitate screening and treatment of malnutrition amongst children.
Some 10,000 women, men and children are set to benefit from on-going water extension works by UNICEF with UNHCR and American Refugee Committee in Nakivale settlement.
There is an increase in school enrollment from 2,407 in September to 3,277 children in October in Early Childhood Development, Primary,
Secondary School levels and Vocational training as of October 22, 2015.Some 154 caregivers participated in a joint child protection dialogue meeting held by UNICEF, the Isingiro District Probation office, Windle Trust Uganda, American Refugee Committee and UNHCR in Kabazana A and Kabahinda D settlements
Burundian Refugees in Uganda
15,139
# of Burundians in Uganda since November 2014 (OPM, 2015)
7,569
# of children under the age of 18 (OPM, 2015)
11,051
# of women and children (OPM, 2015)
Funding Requirements
US$2.9 mill
Funding Gap
61%
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
The Government of Uganda’s Office of the Prime Minister reports indicate a reduction of daily new arrivals of Burundian refugees. A total of 15,139 refugees have arrived in Uganda since November 2014 as of October 13, 2015 and the majority (11,427) are settled in Nakivale, 247 in Kyaka 11, 162 in Oruchinga, 81 in Kisoro and 3,222 in Kampala. New arrivals are mainly coming into Uganda through Mirama Hills, Kisenyi Police post, Kagitumba and Kikagate border points.
New arrivals are citing insecurity and fears of attacks from armed groups as reasons for fleeing. In Nakivale settlement, the number of new arrivals has dropped to 50 refugees from last week’s 173 individuals. At Kabazana Reception Centre, the weekly joint (UNHCR, Office of the Prime Minister, American Refugee Committee) physical headcount was halted due to fears of a Hepatitis B outbreak during the week of October 9-15, but this has been cleared and the routine exercise resumed. As of 15th October, the population at the reception center stood at 778 individuals (558 Burundians, 173 Congolese, 40 Rwandese and 7 Sudanese) with an average daily arrival of 14 individuals. This means there remains adequate space at the center for new arrivals. It can accommodate up to 1,500 individuals. An inter-agency physical head count is conducted every Tuesday to establish the number of residents at the reception center to guide resettlement and ease congestion.
As the steady influx of refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to increase in Nakivale, pressure is being placed on services at the settlement shared by the vast majority of Burundians. The El Nino weather phenomenon is forecast for October 2015 to February 2016 and higher than usual rainfalls in large areas of Uganda; there is risk of strong wind gusts affecting shelters. Initial assessment of flood risk areas in refugee settlements suggest higher risk in the Nakivale, Kyaka, Rwamanja settlements. Mitigation measures recommended include relocation from refugees in flood prone areas and shelter items for roof repairs. Services at Nakivale HC III have been overwhelmed since it is the only facility having outpatient and inpatient therapeutic centres (OTC and ITC) in the entire settlement.