Tolit Ivan, Mega Fm
Gulu city is one of the places in Uganda holding mass number of both internal and external displaced people. They include the South Sudanese refugees’ population within the districts. In Gulu and Arua city especially, most of the urban dwellers come to the city in a bid to gain access to exceptional social services. Unfortunately this produces significant stress on the city structures and the demand for service delivery.
However, the United Nation Capital Development Fund or (UNCDF) has launched a UGX 17.1 billion project to address the urban Refugee problems in Gulu and Arua cities.
The project dubbed “Financing Durable Solution Initiative for Forcibly Displaced People” will help to provide equitable social services to urban refugees in slums in the two cities.
Speaking during the launch of the project on Monday in Gulu City, Dimitri Pozhidaev, the UNCDF Country Director, says that the project was initiated because the two cities have been facing a number of challenges in providing social services to the refugee because of its proximity to the refugee hosting districts.
Pozhidaev says that to ease the burden, UNCDF has injected 4.8 million dollars (17 billion) to support the displaced persons to change their lives.
According to Pozhidaev, the project is geared towards providing tailored skill training of the refugees in business management and income generating projects.
Denis Odongpiny, the Gulu Resident City Commissioner, thanked the UNCDF for the initiative saying the city is overwhelmed with the high influx of the refugees and the burden of providing social services to them.
