Uganda: Red Cross launches tree planting campaign aims to mitigate disasters

By Jacqueline Zawedde, Uganda Red Cross Society

The Uganda Red Cross Society celebrated the 151st Red Cross and Red Crescent day in a glamorous event that took place at Malukhu Grounds in Mbale district on Saturday 8th May 2010. Apart from commemorating of the founder of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement Henry Dunant, this year’s celebrations coincided with a period when Eastern Uganda was mourning over 350 people who died from landslides that covered three villages of Nametsi, Kubewo and Bukalasi in the Eastern district of Bududa on 1st March.

The event which was held under the theme, “Strengthening Community Resilience to Disasters”, was graced by a big number of participants including volunteers, staff and Central Governing Board members of URCS, corporate companies, political and community leaders of Mbale district, partners and stake holders of URCS, Budada landslide survivors and other well wishers.

A marching procession from URCS Mbale Branch, through Mbale town and ending at the celebration grounds triggered off the function. The participants led by two cheerful bands left a lasting impression on the residents of Mbale town who yearned to join the procession. At the main celebration grounds, it was all pomp and splendour.

Different entertainment groups mainly from the Bamasaba tribe livened up the function with traditional songs and drama depicting the ill fated period when they lost their dear ones in the Bududa landslides.

Among the activities which took place at the occasion were blood donations and exhibition of the different services offered by the partner corporate companies and URCS.

The Minister for Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Professor Tarsis Kabwegere presided over the celebrations, representing the Patron of URCS, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. After inspecting the marching brigade and the exhibition stalls, he planted a tree at the celebration grounds to accentuate the tree planting campaign that had started off from 1st May in 19 districts of Eastern Uganda to be gradually rolled out in other parts of the country. This is being done in a bid to mitigate the impact of natural disasters that are responsible for the lives of the unsuspecting Bududa landslides victims.

In his speech Kabwegere emphasized the need to reduce the burden on the land by reducing on the population as well as adopting better farming methods to reduce on the natural disasters. “Natural and man-made catastrophes are inevitable but we can do something to reduce the deaths”, he said. He blamed the disasters to the rapid population growth coupled with poor agricultural practices which were a risk to human settlement. “We have adopted poor agricultural practices and these will be our downfall because they have mainly contributed towards the adverse climatic change. I appeal to all of you to take a lesson from what happened to our friends in Bududa to change the way you till out the land especially around hilly areas.” He said. He further appealed to leaders to mobilize communities to plant trees.

Kabwegere appreciated the work that URCS had tremendously done towards the Bududa landslide victims. He called upon all organizations in the environmental management field to technically support URCS in the program of planting trees in Eastern Uganda. “The Prime Minister’s Office will continue working with Red Cross to make this a reality,” he said.

The Chairman of the Central Board of Governors Mr. Tom Buruku urged Red Cross branches not to wait for help from other humanitarian organizations or the headquarters when such unpredictable disasters strike but rather to take the job into their hands to offer relief support to the afflicted. He emphasized that the country needed a policy to regulate environmental activities. He noted that 20,000 seedlings had been raised from the National Forestry Authority, Roofings Company and the society to continue in the tree planting campaign.

Buruku further appreciated the work blood donors were doing in supporting the National Society’s blood donation campaign. He also appreciated government for the efforts towards the same cause. “We thank the government of Uganda which has injected 800,000 million shillings to support blood donation in the country”, he said.

Michael Nataka, the Red Cross Secretary General called for a full disaster analysis for Uganda, including determining priority disaster-risk themes and geographical zones. Nataka noted that the move to strengthen community resilience of disasters was timely because “these disasters have weakened livelihoods and impoverished communities through dynamics such as increasing food prices, displacement, environmental degradation, asset losses and exposure of disease.” He said that under the initiative that was launched in Amuria and Katakwi districts recently, communities were sensitized on the dangers of disasters and helped to form disaster risk reduction groups.
Certificates were awarded to companies, stake holders and volunteers in recognition for their contributions towards the landslides and floods relief operations in Eastern Uganda.