More 1,200 kilograms of maize flour were yesterday handed out to at least 85 Mudslides victims in the sub counties of Muramba, Kanaba and Chahafi town council in Kisoro district.
77 of these Households belonged to the vulnerable Batwa people of Gitebe, Kagano, 7 from Mugwata and Kidakama villages and one homeless 45 year old Manirakiza Maria from chahafi town council .
Kisoro Resident District Commissioner Hajji Shafiq Sekandi says the donation was part of the remaining humanitarian aid that was requested for from the Salvation Army Uganda, UNHCR and UNICEF.
Sekandi says support from local Batwa NGO, United Organization for Batwa Development in Uganda (UBDOU) to help identify and trace the most affected Batwa households.
Each household was also given one tarpaulin, one 20-liter jerry and food relief to enable them not die of hunger.
45-year-old Manirakiza Maria in Gisha village, Chahafi town council received additional 10 kilograms of beans after losing everything including her home during the mudslide tragedy that claimed the lives of 8 people in May this year.
Hajji Shafiq Sekandi commended the Salvation Army Uganda, UNHCR and UNCIEF for honoring their pledge of supporting the affected families.
He called the Batwa communities to adjust their mindset from doing petty work for other people for money and consider cultivating their own food with the small pieces of land acquired for them through NGO partners.
He cautioned them against selling the food relief but use it to feed their young children who are prone to sickness and other health complications due to malnutrition and abandonment.
Sekandi said the Bufumbira East Member of Parliament Hon. Dr. James Nsaba Buturo agreed to lobby for hand held hoes for cultivation for the Batwa, if only they can only change their mindset towards farming and not begging for survival.
The Kanaba sub county chief Silver Nsabimana urged the Batwa to educate their children in order for them to compete with others for resources of development.
Nsabimana said hygiene among the communities is still very poor and this needs to be worked upon soon to avoid any outbreaks of diseases.
The Batwa sang songs of praise and longevity to President Museveni and his Government and said the Government has not forgotten them despite still having major challenges of access to land and justice for cases that involve discrimination and Sexual Gender Based Violence.
They called on the Government to continue lobbying more support from partners concerning better health care, housing and education for their children.
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