The Uganda Cash Consortium (UCC), led by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) in partnership with the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), has been awarded an additional amount of EUR 7,2 million in humanitarian funding from the European Union.
This vital funding will significantly strengthen the UCC's ability to provide life-saving cash assistance to socio-economically vulnerable individuals to meet their basic needs and reduce sector-specific risks.
Over 45,500 people will be supported with multi-purpose cash, within settlements located in the Southwest (Kyaka II, Kyangwali, Rwamwanja, Nakivale, Oruchinga), Mid-West (Kiryandongo), West Nile (Imvepi, Rhino Camp, Bidi Bidi, Lobule, Palorinya) and North (Adjumani, Palabek) regions of Uganda, with a particular focus on locations receiving new arrivals.
The UCC will provide six transfers to selected refugee households addressing immediate basic needs referenced on the Uganda Minimum Expenditure Basket (MEB) - version 2023.
The consortium will provide cash for Education in Emergencies (EiE) until Term 1 2026, focusing on children out of school or at risk of school dropout.
The cash assistance will reach at least 44,500 Ugandan and refugee children and adolescents and aims to facilitate continued education, increase school enrolment and reduce dropout rates.
We are deeply grateful to the EU for their continued support in addressing the urgent needs of socio-economically disadvantaged refugees. Our goal is to provide life-saving assistance that can empower individuals and families to become self-reliant. Education is a critical component of our efforts, by allocating funds specifically for education, we are investing in the future of these children and helping to break the cycle of poverty
/ Anna Maria Trzcinska, the UCC Manager
“The EU is pleased to continue supporting the refugee response in Uganda with cash,” said Bruno Rotival, who oversees EU humanitarian programmes in Uganda.
“The humanitarian needs continue to increase and cash has proven the most efficient way of addressing them, while at the same time ensuring that refugees effectively can prioritise their most pressing needs. The cash assistance has also ensured very high enrolment and retention of children in school.”
Identifying recipients for multi-purpose cash assistance and cash for EiE will rely on referrals made through a revised UCC Vulnerability Scoring Model (UVSM), and collaboration with strategic sectorial partners, including protection partners, WFP, and UNHCR.
To facilitate financial transactions, UCC will use digital transfer mechanisms, such as mobile money and agency banking.
UCC was established in 2019 implementing several programs. The current one started in May 2023 with EUR 6 million funding from the European Union. With the increased funding UCC will reach about 150,000 individuals with cash assistance.
This project is implemented by the Danish Refugee Council and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) with funding from the European Union.