Westport, Conn. (September 25, 2007)
- Save the Children is providing a rapid response to extreme flooding in north and northeastern Uganda, where unusually heavy rainfall since August has affected an estimated 500,000 people.
The rains and associated flooding have uprooted tens of thousands of families and have destroyed wells, food crops, schools, hospitals, roads and bridges.
"The rains intensified in September, compounding an already miserable situation for people in the path of rising waters," said Rudy Von Bernuth, who heads Save the Children's emergency response efforts worldwide. "We fear that the number of children and families being forced out of their homes and facing extreme hardship will increase in the coming weeks."
Save the Children assessment teams report that about 50 schools in areas where the agency provides other programs have been partially or completely destroyed.
In addition to distributing blankets and clothing for children, Save the Children will focus on ensuring that children do not miss out on their education while their country recovers. The agency will construct 50 temporary classrooms; distribute school materials to 10,000 children; build 300 latrines; and provide 5,000 desks and 100 mobile blackboards to replace damaged furniture.
Save the Children also will establish 100 child-protection committees in affected areas.
Uganda is one of the worst hit of 17 African countries enduring severe flooding. Across the continent, more then 1.5 million people have been affected by the disaster.
Save the Children has been working in Uganda for more than 20 years. The agency also has ongoing relief efforts in the flood-affected South Asian countries of Bangladesh, Indian, Nepal and Pakistan.