NORTHERN UGANDA EARLY RECOVERY PROJECT (NUERP) Rays of Hope in Lango Sub-Region, Northern Uganda TABLE OF Contents Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1 Messages ................................................................................................................................... 2 Background ............................................................................................................................ 3 A 2-hour ride turns 30 minutes in Minakulu ..................................... 4 Livelihood ................................................................................................................................ 5 Loro Storage facility ensures income from produce ............... 6 Village Savings and Loan Associations ................................................... 7 Early detection and prompt response to epidemics ............... 8 Peace Rings resolve conflict among the returnees ................... 9 Challenges ............................................................................................................................10 Lessons Learnt .................................................................................................................11 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................12 Introduction Lango sub-region, where support through an integrated service to returning communities had delivery and community based been minimal. The project which recovery approach. The project has been implemented from July operated in four Districts: Lira, 2009 to November 2012 paid Oyam, Alebtong and Otuke. particular attention to the special The project sought to give the needs of vulnerable members of displaced people from those four the community especially women, Districts in Lango sub-region, children and the youth. a fresh start in life, by working The project was funded by the together with a number of United Nations Trust Fund for implementing partners such as Human Security (UNTFHS) and World Vision, FAO, International it was jointly implemented by Life Line Fund, Sasakawa Global three UN agencies: United Nations 2000, ACTED , the Ministry Ready to plant, Development Programme (UNDP), of Health and the Local farmers receive World Health Organization (WHO) Governments in each of the four maize seeds and World Food Programme Districts. (WFP). Its four main areas of focus Since 2009, many positive were: changes have been registered • Resettlement and Recovery in the peoples’ lives, including For almost 20 years, insurgency caused by Joseph Kony’s Lord’s support executed by UNDP improved farming methods and Resistance Army (LRA) in Northern Uganda tore apart the fabric of the and WFP food security; a culture of saving society. It caused many people from mainly Acholi and Lango sub- • Livelihood enhancement by through the Village Savings and regions to move from their homes/villages into Internally Displaced UNDP and WFP Loan Associations (VSLAs); a keen Peoples’ (IDPs) camps. However since signing the Comprehensive Peace interest in maintaining peace • Health, Nutrition, and HIV/AIDS Agreement between the Government of Uganda and the LRA in 2006, through peace rings; increased by WHO the entire region has experienced relative peace for the last six years awareness of the need to take and the people have moved back to their homes albeit with many • Peace-Building and Conflict care of both their health and the challenges. As a result, a lot of attention has been given to the Northern Resolution by UNDP health of their environment. This publication chronicles some of region, including the Lango sub-region to enable it recover from the The main aim of the project the NUERP success stories that ravages of war. was to support the rapid self have brought hope to the Lango The Northern Uganda Early Recovery Programme (NUERP) was - sustainable recovery of the sub-region. conceived with the idea of contributing towards early recovery in the conflict affected communities NORTHERN UGANDA EARLY RECOVERY PROJECT (NUERP) 1 Messages WHO Dr. Joaquim Saweka Lebogang Motiana Sory Ouane WHO Representative in Uganda UNDP Country Director in Uganda WFP Country Director in Uganda. From Emergency to Development LIFE Saving EFForts From nothing to plenty “Earlier efforts by Development Agencies in the North addressed emergencies, but the tripartite “A part from restoring health services “These days the farmer groups partnership of UNDP, WFP and WHO came in to in the health units and equipping are able to sell their produce in address the development needs of the affected them with drugs, the health sector Kampala and the neighboring people.” was also supported to handle the countries.” As Uganda celebrated 50 years of Independence on the 9th October neglected tropical diseases” From the start, Word Food Program 2012, the return of peace to Northern Uganda is one of its key provided relief services to the internally achievements in setting a foundation for recovery in the region. The Life has been revived in Lira Sub-region after displaced people’s camps (IDPs) in Northern Uganda Early Recovery project (NUERP) was started to assist experiencing total war and destruction of lives Northern Uganda. When the war came the people in Northern Uganda, particularly the Lango sub-region, and property during the last two decades. to an end, they handled two areas of get back on their feet after almost two decades of insurgency. The When the war ended in 2006, people started Post Harvest Handling, infrastructure project was implemented together with our sister agencies the going home to start life a fresh. It was hard for development and environment WHO and the WFP with funding from United Nations Trust Fund for the communities, as there were no medical protection. Human Security (UNTFHS). UNDP played the roles of coordinating the services and the personnel were lacking. In partnership, as well as executing the livelihood, peace building and We had a role to play in two areas Local Government capacity building components of the project. 2009, the three United Nations Agencies signed an agreement to establish the Northern Uganda of resettlement and livelihood The project was started primarily to address the needs of the formerly Early Recovery Project (NUERP). World Health improvement, and WFP rehabilitated displaced people, to enable a transition from emergency to the some of the roads that linked the development phase in Lango sub-region. Among other supports, Organization (WHO) working hand in hand with the Ministry of Health through the Local farmers to markets after training them the project has been able to address the economic development in post harvest handling techniques. We needs of the people through the establishment of Farmer groups, government, embarked on the long journey Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) and the Peace Rings. of taking health services to the people in rural also handled the environmental aspects We have also worked with the local governments to ensure that there areas. in the sub-region. To date, WFP has is participatory development management. To date, many of the established four tree nurseries, trained project’s outcomes are spontaneously being replicated beyond the Apart from re- establishing the health farmers, and set up satellite collection initial target. For example, from the target of establishing sixty VSLAs services in the health units and equipping points to handle bumper harvests. In each with thirty members each, by project closure, there were thirty them with drugs, the project also supported one centre in Oyam District, where we two more VSLAs that had been formed and are operational. handling of the neglected tropical diseases began with five farmer groups, these During project implementation, UNDP organized the Project like Bilharzias, and trypanosomiasis. From the days they are able to sell their produce Management Steering Committee (PMSC) sessions at the National time surveillance services were established, to Juba in Southern Sudan, to Kigali in level and the Project Coordination Committee meetings at the there have been noticeable improvements in Rwanda, and in Kampala. The farmers District level. These organs ensured close monitoring of project recovery from 60% to 90% in the four Districts are able to enjoy better agricultural implementation and the results. UNDP components of the project of Alebtong, Lira, Otuke and Oyam. were implemented by World Vision. prices and they have enough to eat in their families and also for sale of the Through this publication, I invite you to discover some of the UN’s surplus. experiences in empowering lives in the Lango sub-region. 2 NORTHERN UGANDA EARLY RECOVERY PROJECT (NUERP) Background Following cessation of armed conflict in Northern Uganda in 2006, over 95% of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) returned to their homes to re-start their lives. The Government of Uganda H E Kazuo Minagawa and Development partners have since JAPANESE AMBASSADOR provided support to the war affected communities to enable them resettle “RESTORING LIFE IN LANGO SUB- REGION TO NORMAL” and recover from the losses incurred during the insurgencies. The Northern Uganda Early Recovery For a long time, Lango Sub-Region remained invisible Project (NUERP) (2009-2012) funded and yet they too suffered from the war which was by the United