Sudanese refugees who escaped violence are now on the brink of starvation in Ugandan camps, a direct consequence of significant cuts to humanitarian aid, particularly from the United States.
Families like Amin Ahmed’s, who found safety in Kiryandongo Settlement, report enduring days without food.
Life in the camp, initially hopeful with UN food assistance, has deteriorated sharply.
Ahmed noted that the World Food Program (WFP) used to provide monthly rations, but now families receive only about $3 per person, which isn’t enough to survive.
Iman Mohammed, another Sudanese mother, warned, “We have fled war, but we are now about to face starvation in Uganda.”
The WFP is grappling with a severe funding crisis after the US, its largest donor, drastically cut nearly all contributions earlier this year.
This move, part of a broader reduction in US foreign aid, has crippled humanitarian operations across East Africa.
Historically, the US has provided a massive share of WFP funding, including $83 million for Ugandan refugees between 2023 and April 2024 alone.
These cuts forced WFP to reduce its support in Uganda from 1.6 million to 663,000 refugees in May, with many now receiving only 22% of a full food ration—the lowest ever.
WFP urgently needs $50 million to restore full rations, having received only $8.5 million this year.
The crisis is compounded by a surge in refugee arrivals. Uganda, which has an open-door policy, now hosts 1.9 million refugees, the most in Africa, fleeing escalating violence in Sudan, DR Congo, and South Sudan.
The influx, combined with dwindling resources, is pushing Uganda’s systems to their breaking point, prompting an urgent appeal for international support from Ugandan Minister Hilary Onek.