S. Korea donates 5,000 tonnes of rice to refugees
The Ambassador of Korea, Mr Ha Byung-Kyoo (in red tie), and Director of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Mr Myong-Chul Choi (in grey tie) serve rice to refugees. PHOTO BY ALFRED TUMUSHABE
South Korea has donated 5,000 metric tonnes of rice valued at $5 million (about Shs18.7 billion) to feed refugees in Uganda. The same quantity was donated last year.
The South Korea Ambassador, Mr Ha Byung-Kyoo, who handed over the donation in Nakivale Refugee Settlement on Thursday said Uganda has extraordinary number of refugees and needs to be supported.
“It’s indeed very admirable that you are willing to share your resources with refugees and that you can offer your land for them to grow their own food crops and live happily among you away from desperate situations which drove them away from their homes. I do hereby acknowledge that you still require urgent and robust support in this matter,” Mr Ha Byung-Kyoo said.
The World Food Programme (WFP) country director, Mr El Khidir Daloum, said the 5,000 tonnes of rice will feed at least 213,000 refugees for two months.
Refugees heavily rely on WFP for food assistance in their first years.
Mr Daloum said Uganda currently hosts 1.27 million refugees who use 16,000 metric tonnes of food every month and this costs $15 million (about Shs55.5 billion).
The rice donation, he said, contributes to the efforts of ending hunger, and provides the much needed diversity in diet.
“It is important that refugees, the majority of who are women and children, have their basic food and nutrition needs met so that they can begin to rebuild their lives in line with development aspirations of the host governments. Therefore, this is an extremely welcome gift,” Mr Daloum said. He added that women and children constitute 82 per cent of the refugees in Uganda.
The rice will replace maize in the July and August food assistance cycles in the refugee camps of Kyaka II, Kyangwali, Nakivale, Oruchinga and Rwamwanja.
The Commissioner for Refugees in the Office of the Prime Minister, Mr Gerald Simon Menhya, said the Republic of Korea has made great contribution because without food and water in the first two months of their arrival, refugees suffer a lot.
