news 3 August 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Karamoja Elders and Child-Headed Families Receive Cash Aid Amidst Famine
Vulnerable elderly individuals and child-headed households in Nabilatuk and Nakapiripirit districts are receiving Shs250,000 cash relief and emergency food supplies to combat severe food insecurity in the Karamoja region. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/karamoja-food-crisis-over-500-vulnerable-elders-child-headed-families-receive-cash-relief-5545740
In response to a deepening famine in Uganda’s Karamoja sub-region, humanitarian efforts are providing direct cash assistance and food relief to the most vulnerable populations. Action Against Hunger (AAH), an international organization, is distributing Shs250,000 to over 500 destitute elders and child-headed families in Nabilatuk and Nakapiripirit districts.
This financial aid, part of a rapid drought emergency response, aims to help recipients purchase food and access urgent medical care. Local leaders have highlighted that recent deaths attributed to the food crisis have disproportionately affected the elderly and households without adult support.
“The current situation that the elders find themselves in is worrying,” stated Mr. Ben Lokiru, LC5 Chairperson for Nabilatuk District. “As a district, we didn’t have this budget, but now that humanitarian agencies have come to our rescue, these elders and child-headed families will have a sense of respite.”
The crisis is largely attributed to prolonged dry spells that have scorched crops across the region. In addition to the cash transfers, the Ugandan government has dispatched emergency food rations, including maize flour and beans, to affected communities. Nabilatuk Resident District Commissioner, Mr. Linos Lotem Tumkori, confirmed the initial food distribution and indicated that further relief supplies are being planned.
An estimated 473,000 people across all nine districts of Karamoja are facing severe food insecurity, classified as IPC Phase 3 or worse. Persistent rainfall failures, rising food prices, and localized insecurity have depleted food reserves, leading to alarming rates of acute malnutrition. Humanitarian agencies and local officials are calling for sustained, long-term interventions to build resilience against recurring climate shocks.