By: Joyce Babirye

KAMPALA

Oxfam and Save the Children have today technically handed over their refugee response project infrastructures to the Permanent Secretary of Office of the Prime Minister.

In 2017, a Germany agency, KFW, gave Uganda a grant of 10m Euros to support the refugees in Bidi Bidi Settlement in Yumbe District and Rhino camp in Madi-Okollo and Terego Districts in Northern Uganda.

After receiving the grant from KFW, ten Non-Government Organizations bided to take part in the construction of the teachers houses, toilets, class rooms among others.

Francis Odokorach, Country Director , OXFAM hands over technical documents to PS OPM

Save the Children and Oxfam won the bid for the construction of the infrastructures in the settlements.

Today (April 12, 2022), Save the Children technically handed over 150 class rooms, 16 teacher housing units and 35 latrines, while Oxfam handed over 43 pit latrines, 8 hybrid water solar powered systems among others.

While addressing donor representatives at OPM head offices in Kampala, Keith Muhakanizi the Permanent Secretary of OPM lauded the donors for the tremendous work that they do in the refugee settlements and the transit centers.

“I want to thank the KFW for the funds that they gave to Uganda, Save the Children and Oxfam for the good work they have done for the refugees and host communities. I want to urge all those that can give us a hand to host communities to come and support us.” Muhakanizi said.

He appealed to the donors and their representatives to help OPM manage the refugees. Some of them vandalize property that they find within the communities where they are settled.

“When you go to Kasese, Kisoro and other transit districts, you will notice that most of the school property such as desks are being used as firewood by the refugees. Please guide these people so that they don’t vandalize the property they find in the host districts.  We don’t want to incur other expenses of buying more furniture,” he said.

Keith Muhakanizi PS OPM receives the technical documents from Lawrence Yiyoy Director Save the Children.

Muhakanizi said under his leadership as the PS, OPM staff have to be time cautious in everything they do. He also said OPM has been doing good things from the past but they have been overshadowed by the few bad ones and this needs to change.

The Under Secretary for Refugees and Disaster Management, Grace Tusiime also thanked the NGOs for technically handing over Refugee Response Project infrastructures to OPM. She also said that the official hand over of the projects will be presided over by the Ministers.

Ends