Uganda, the so-called “pearl of Africa“, is one of the better developed nations in the east of the continent, but twenty years of civil war in the north of the country have left their mark. On top of this, the country is burdened with massive numbers of refugees from the neighbouring countries of Congo and South Sudan. The official position of the government is that Uganda needs to help its neighbours in need, and accept refugees into its own villages and communities. The regions affected by this phenomenon, however, are also often suffering from drought, a lack of drinking water, and other structural weaknesses.
Malteser International has been working in Uganda since 1996. The focus of our work is in bringing aid to refugees, primarily in the north of the country, as well as in the fields of health and WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene). Our team in the regional office in Kampala also provides logistical support to our projects in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan and Kenya.