Kotido & Moroto Famine Relief Drive Mobilizes Parishes

Drought driven by climate change has brought famine to the Kotido and Moroto dioceses in the Karamoja region. The government has provided some emergency relief, but it has not been enough to meet the scale of the need.

In response, the Kampala Archdiocese is calling on parishes across the Archdiocese to come together for the people of Karamoja. The collection drive began in July and will continue through September.

In July, the first batch of support, including money and household items, was sent to Caritas Uganda, who delivered it to families in Kotido and Moroto. Collection continues now, with parishes gathering food and essential relief items to send in the coming months.

The drive is focused on staple food items, including posho, maize flour, maize, rice, beans, sugar, and cooking oil. Contributions of money and household items are also welcome.

This appeal is open to everyone, not only Catholics. Caritas does not discriminate based on religion, because hunger affects everyone the same way, regardless of their faith. While the Catholic Church is leading this initiative, the help itself is for anyone in Kotido and Moroto who needs it.

As Matthew 25:35 says, "For I was hungry and you gave me food." This is the same passage that guides the wider mission of the Charities Department, and it is why responding to hunger, wherever it is found, remains central to this work.