The European Union and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) have launched a new cash assistance initiative to support vulnerable refugees in Uganda, helping families access essential food and strengthen their ability to meet daily needs.
WFP has welcomed a EUR 3 million contribution from the European Union’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) to provide life-saving food assistance to 336,000 refugees across Uganda.
The assistance will be delivered through digital cash transfers using mobile money and agency banking services in partnership with Uganda’s Office of the Prime Minister and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The programme will focus on the most vulnerable and newly arrived refugees, including communities from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, and Sudan.
Digital cash assistance allows refugee families to receive support safely, quickly, and with dignity. Unlike traditional food distribution methods, cash transfers give families the flexibility to purchase the goods and services they need most while also supporting local markets and businesses.
The use of digital payments has become especially important during the ongoing Ebola outbreak. Remote assistance reduces crowding at distribution points, lowers health risks, and enables refugees to access food support without unnecessary exposure.
WFP highlighted that cash-based assistance is part of a more efficient and people-focused humanitarian response. By placing choice in the hands of families, the programme helps improve financial inclusion, build resilience, and support long-term stability.
Uganda currently hosts more than two million refugees across 13 settlements, making it Africa’s largest refugee-hosting country. Through partnerships with the government and humanitarian organizations, WFP continues to connect emergency support with longer-term solutions that strengthen refugee and host communities.
The initiative demonstrates how digital innovation and humanitarian cooperation can improve access to essential services while helping vulnerable populations move toward greater self-reliance.
