French Embassy in Uganda donates 1.9 billion shillings to end malnutrition and hunger in Karamoja region
The project aims to improve food security in over 1500 vulnerable households in Karamoja and is part of the French Embassy’s commitment to supporting nutrition and food security
Nabaasa Innocent 
French Ambassador to Uganda signs a partnership agreement with ACTED.
In an attempt to address the Sustainable Development Goal no.2, the French Embassy in Uganda on May 10th entered a partnership with ACTED & Food For the Hungry to implement a 12 months strengthening of resilience and nutrition well being of communities in Amudat and Nakapiripirit which are the most hunger affected communities in Karamoja region.
The project that aims to improve food security for over 1000 vulnerable homes is part of the French Embassy’s commitment to supporting nutrition and food security efforts that build families resilience to future shocks through improving their ability to meet their own food and nutrition needs.
This project that is worth €500,000 is expected to start beginning June 2022 to May 2023 . It will also enhance prevention of under nutrition and increasing access to appropriate treatment of malnutrition through targeted maternal child health and nutrition interventions.
Karamoja region in Northern Uganda is characterized by long dry seasons which result in seasonal food insecurity, malnutrition and stunting.
With Nakapiripirit and Amudat being the most affected communities, the region also faces a problem of delayed rains, flash floods that sometimes displaces communities; the relatively sandy loam soil that is more susceptible to agents of soil erosion and also the low levels of skills that limits their ability to compete favorably for alternative livelihoods.
According to Violet Birungi, Food for the Hungry is to implement objective 2 of this project which is to enhance prevention of stunting & under nutrition and also to increase access to appropriate treatment of malnutrition.
ACTED the other partners to the project will focus on fulfilling the objective of improving security and livelihoods of households in the region, and both of these projects will directly benefit 1,584 unique vulnerable households with pregnant and lactating mothers plus children that are under 24 months.
“Because we want to change the mindset, we are also going to train the care givers who will also become ToT’s and these will be able to train other people when the project is closed” Violet added.
Karamoja being a region dominated by men, the project also aims at integrating male trained agent groups that will identify 11-15 male champions and these will be trained in gender equality and also the importance of nutrition in a household such that if women are making these decisions they are informed and in agreement.
ACTED is a French NGO present in Uganda since 2007. ACTED's mandate is to respond to immediate humanitarian relief to support those in urgent need and protect people’s dignity, while co-creating longer term opportunities for sustainable growth and fulfilling people’s potential.
Food for the Hungry is an association that has a history of partnering with governments, international NGO’s and private organizations to further the goal of ending human poverty worldwide through health and nutrition, education, food insecurity and livelihoods plus also water sanitation and hygiene.
