ICRC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMMES Projection for 2009 in northern Pascal Jequier /ICRC Pascal

An ICRC clinical offi cer and a nurse attend to an injured boy at a Health Centre rehabilitated by the ICRC in Bibia, Amuru district the four northern districts of , Amuru, Kitgum and Pader. Given the progress towards peace in the north of the country, ICRC assistance activities have shifted gradually from emergency response to livelihood support.

The aim of ICRC assistance programmes is to promote self-reliance among aff ected communities, improving the delivery of essential services such as health and water supply, as well as restoring people’s economic ability to provide for themselves. ICRC Health Programmes ICRC health programmes aim at Care network in northern Uganda. This • Lagot, Dibolyec and Anaka health bridging gaps during a period shifting includes capacity building, training centres in for the from emergency interventions to and/or supervision of relevant staff whole year 2009 rehabilitation and development. (such as Traditional Birth Attendants/ • Omot, Alim, Arum, Awere, Lagile Throughout 2009, the ICRC continues TBA and Health Unit Management and Porogali health centres in providing its support to 13 health Committees/HUMC), as well as regular for the whole year centres in northern Uganda, the medicine refurbishment. 2009 Kitgum Government and supplies medical items to the The ICRC is involved in 13 health The ICRC works with the District Health Hospital in Pader district. centres II and III, spread across the four Team (DHT) in order to secure regular districts of Acholiland: services to the structures (availability of Primary Health Care (PHC) • Pawel and Bibia health centres in staff and eff orts preventing shortages Comprehensive Approach Amuru district for the whole year of medicines). The ICRC supports the Within the framework of existing 2009 DHT in delivering training to enhance national policies, the ICRC’s strategy is • Labworomor and Lugore health services such as goal-oriented antenatal to support the district health authorities centres in Gulu district up to July care, training of HUMC, infection in strengthening the Primary Health 2009 control, and drug management. MISSION The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is an impartial, neutral and independent organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of war and internal violence and to provide them with assistance. It directs and coordinates the international relief activities conducted by the Movement in situations of confl ict. It also endeavours to prevent suff ering by promoting and strengthening humanitarian law and universal humanitarian principles. Established in 1863, the ICRC is at the origin of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. 1 Luc Soenen /ICRC Luc

Rehabilitation and construction of maternity ward at Omot health centre in Pader district

According to defi ned priorities at the Kitgum Government Hospital health centre level (malaria, respiratory (KGH) tract infections, sexually transmitted Since early 2006, the ICRC supports this diseases or diarrhoea), the use of 200-bed hospital through ad hoc supply national protocols is reinforced while of medical items and improvement regular immunisation services such of services, in addition to substantial as antenatal care consultations are rehabilitation and construction works. delivered. The ICRC works closely with the KGH The ICRC maintains a regular presence management in three diff erent fi elds: in these health centres in order to 1. Rehabilitation of water, electricity improve the interaction between and sewage networks (water communities and their health centres. supply, new pumping system, Volunteers working at the health new water tank with tower, rain- centres are regularly supervised to harvesting tanks; new general pit, support the health staff , while TBA are incinerator and fencing; electricity trained to timely recognise delivery in all units) in addition to capacity- risks and to appropriately refer mothers building, training, provision of tools to health centres. and materials, and maintenance of infrastructures and installations. The ICRC also enhances access to clean 2. Administrative support in the fi elds water for population living in the wider of human resource management, vicinity of the 13 health centres by annual tenders, medical supplies drilling boreholes and rehabilitating and material refurbishment. manual pumps. The ICRC rehabilitates 3. Clinical support in 6 units health centre infrastructures such as (outpatient department, maternity, /ICRC Yazdi Pedram staff quarters, Ventilated Improved paediatrics, pharmacy, laboratory A mother weighs her child on vaccination Pit (VIP) latrines with showers, fences, and operation theatre). day at Omot health centre in Pader district general pits for health centres II and maternity sections, and incinerators for HEALTH: ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2008 the health centres III. • In the four northern districts, more than 120,000 people living in 14 catchment areas had access to Primary Health Care and benefi ted from community-based activities For example, in 2009, the ICRC plans to such as health education and malaria prevention campaigns. 14 district health centres were supported with on-the-job training and provided with essential medicines and build: basic medical equipment. 114,540 consultations were performed. More than 24,000 • In-Patient Departments for Bibia households were supplied with insecticide-treated mosquito nets distributed when and Palaro, pregnant mothers attended antenatal care consultations in the 14 health centres. • Kitchen shelters in Awere and Child-days were supported by reinforcing vaccination and de-worming programme Palaro, twice in 2008 for 54,170 children. 340 TBAs were regularly supervised to reinforce the referral of pregnant mothers to health centres and to mobilise young mothers for • Staff quarters for four families in vaccinations. Bibia, • Four ICRC health specialists worked in the Kitgum Government Hospital, where the • Health Centre Verandas in Lugore, ICRC provides regular ad hoc supplies to the hospital pharmacy, as well as on-the-job Pawel, Lagot, Dibolyec, Anaka, Alim training to the clinical offi cers of OPD, Maternity, Paediatrics and Pharmacy. In 2008, and Porogali, KGH conducted 543 operations, 59,550 outpatient consultations, 3,680 deliveries and 10,280 admissions. • A latrine plus shower block in Awere • The ICRC continued its support to the in Pader, ensuring that patients Health Centre III. referred from the ICRC supported HCs received appropriate treatment.

2 ICRC Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Programmes

The ICRC, through its water, sanitation, hygiene and habitat programmes, continues to improve the provision of clean and safe water and strives to improve hygiene conditions in the return areas of northern Uganda. The ICRC has been actively involved in meeting the needs of vulnerable populations, transit camps and villages of origin in the four districts of Amuru, Gulu, Kitgum and Pader in Acholiland since early 2006. The ICRC interventions are based on careful assessments, are needs- driven and are prioritized in close coordination and agreement with the

respective district water offi ces and Christian Kettiger /ICRC other humanitarian actors. In 2009, the ICRC staff drilling a borehole at Laminajiko camp in Pader district ICRC will engage in hygiene promotion activities in 30 selected villages and interventions take into account both their capacities to become more camp settings in three sub counties of the SPHERE standards and policies each of the four districts of Acholiland. effi cient in managing and maintaining defi ned by national authorities. water-related systems. A network The ICRC conducts hygiene promotion of mechanics will be trained and Water-user-committees will be formed equipped so that maintenance and activities in partnership with the and trained to manage and maintain Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS). In repair are organized and carried out each water point. The district water appropriately. Tools and spare parts addition to awareness campaigns in offi ces will be supported to enhance thirty selected sites, the ICRC provides will also be provided accordingly. safe water, tools and materials for latrine construction. Trained hygiene WATER: ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2008 promoters and/or Village Health • 60 new boreholes were drilled and fi tted with manualp umps. Team (VHT) members implement and • 65 water points were rehabilitated. support such programmes. • 1500 pit latrine stances were constructed. • 30 sites benefi ted from regular Public Health and Hygiene Promotion sessions. The same villages and camp settings • 800 energy saving stoves were constructed. in northern Uganda will benefi t from energy saving stoves, a simple technology designed to reduce the stress on natural resources and to ICRC Economic Security Programmes reduce the burden of collecting ICRC activities in the fi eld of Economic fi rewood for women and children. Security aim to ensure that confl ict- Approximately 1500 energy saving aff ected households and communities stoves will be constructed. can cover their basic needs and maintain or rehabilitate sustainable livelihoods. Towards this end, the ICRC will continue to support vulnerable families by providing economic assistance.

Support to Agricultural Livelihoods In 2009, Economic Security activities will focus on supporting agricultural livelihood through providing 20,000 farming households in vulnerable areas of Amuru, eastern Kitgum and eastern Christian Kettiger /ICRC Pader with opportunities to access A woman uses an energy saving stove in farm implements. This programme will Labworoyeng camp in Kitgum District support seed fairs and provide vouchers To improve access to safe water for for agricultural materials, giving the returnees and IDPs in selected locations targeted communities diff erent choices of Amuru, Gulu, Kitgum and Pader of support. In addition, the programme districts, the ICRC plans to rehabilitate expects to have a positive impact on some 75 water points, develop up to the wider local economy by purchasing 50 new ones and to rehabilitate up to most of the items locally. ICRC will 7 non-functional motorized boreholes, provides seeds and tools to benefi ciaries ideally with solar-driven systems. The in places with insuffi cient availability of A woman tills her fi eld under an ICRC ICRC guidelines and criteria for such quality seeds. cash-for-work project in Apyeta, Kitgum

3 Community Intervention of agricultural land for cultivation. Projects Households were supported to clear The ICRC seeks to address other between 1 to 3 acres of land. The ICRC challenges families face in the process then paid each participating benefi ciary of returning home and restarting their a cash allowance. In order to reinforce livelihoods. Obstacles include lack traditional solidarity mechanisms, of basic services and infrastructures, able-bodied participating benefi ciaries and lack of income-generating agreed to support the most vulnerable opportunities. (elderly, chronically sick, child headed The Community Intervention Projects household etc) to cultivate their land as aim at supporting 5,000 households well. Akwat/ICRC W. to generate sustainable incomes and Vulnerable benefi ciaries of a micro- economic increase their purchasing power. Other activities under the CfW initiative project in Abok, Oyam District Examples include Cash-for-Work (CfW) programme include rehabilitation of and Micro-Economic Initiative (MEI) community access routes (to enhance projects. marketing opportunities of agricultural ECONOMIC SECURITY: products and easier access to basic ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2008 Cash-for-Work services); rehabilitation of dams (for • 72,000 households (396,000 persons) Cash-for-Work projects aim at livestock and vegetable production) received 17 kg of groundnut seeds supporting households to enhance their and construction of simple market each and a choice of one of the production outcomes by working on structures and storage facilities. following seeds: 4 kg of simsim, 12.5 kg of beans or 10 kg of rice (and a hoe) individual farms or the rehabilitation of in Amuru, Gulu, Pader and Kitgum. community assets. The ICRC continues Micro-Economic Initiatives • 70,000 households (385,000 persons) to coordinate with the Ministry of In 2008, the ICRC launched income- received essential household items: Agriculture, District engineers and other generating projects aimed at supporting Sanitary kits and underwear (for relevant departments. Communities, in vulnerable community members with women’s hygienic needs), soap (3.2 consultation with the local authorities, grants, such as for manual irrigation kg), and school kits. identify their priority needs and pumps for production of vegetables • 1,000 households who lost their select the activities they wish to during the dry season, sunfl ower oil belongings in fi re outbreaks were see implemented. The ICRC actively presses and bee keeping. Communities assisted with basic household items supports and facilitates this process. themselves will identify other types of such as basins, jerry cans, blankets, viable projects over the course of 2009, soap, cooking pots, plates and cups. In 2008, the main activities initiated by • 3,500 households have been the ICRC included supporting the tilling and will be supported by the ICRC. supported through Cash-for-Work projects. Emergency Response • 120 farmers’ groups (approximately The ICRC maintains a rapid response 2,640 persons) were trained in capacity to support households aff ected vegetable production and have by man-made and natural emergencies received (or are in the process in the four northern districts (mainly of receiving) treadle pumps and fi re outbreaks as well as fl oods) with vegetable seeds such as cabbage, the essential household items such onions, and tomatoes, okra or as jerry-cans, buckets, basins, and eggplant in order to produce vegetables during the dry season. soaps, blankets, cooking pots, utensils • 10 farmers’ groups (approximately and tarpaulins. The ICRC works in 440 persons) were supported with Francis Elyebu /ICRC Elyebu Francis partnership with the Uganda Red Cross sunfl ower oil presses to add value to Benefi ciaries of cash-for-work project open an Society (URCS) in responding to such enhance their production. access route in Katum-Kuluye, Kitgum district emergencies. OTHER ACTIVITIES OF THE ICRC IN UGANDA • supports the orthopaedic centre in Fort Portal and provides forces, universities and political authorities. This includes ad-hoc surgical interventions to the Matani Hospital in the support to the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) Karamoja region. and to the Uganda Police Force (UPF) in integrating • works to improve the living conditions of those arrested internationally recognised Humanitarian Principles into in connection with internal confl ict or disturbances, or for their training and standard operating procedures. national security reasons, while monitoring their treatment • cooperates with the Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) in and conditions of detention, and the respect accorded to providing material, fi nancial and technical assistance. judicial guarantees. Its observations and recommendations This includes the service of re-establishing family links are conveyed confi dentially to the authorities concerned. In throughout Uganda or with neighbouring countries for Uganda, the places of detention visited by the ICRC include those separated by armed confl icts. military barracks and police stations as well as prisons. • maintains coordination eff orts and a constructive dialogue • promotes respect and integration of International with other humanitarian agencies (UN and NGOs) for Humanitarian Law (IHL) with Uganda’s armed and police effi cient service delivery.

Main Offi ce Sub-delegations ICRC ICRC Gulu ICRC Kitgum Plot 8, John Babiiha Avenue Plot 9, Olia Road Plot 5, Kibwota Road P.O. Box 4442, Kampala. P.O. Box 525, Gulu P.O. Box 148, Kitgum Tel: 039 222 14 92 Tel: 039 222 15 83 Tel: 041 434 16 05/6 0471 432 842 071 210 38 01 031 226 46 17/8 Fax: 0471 443 264 Fax: 041 434 12 98 4www.icrc.org E-mail: [email protected]