Lira Diocese Launches Emergency Food Drive for Famine Victims in Karamoja

By Flavia Oyuu, Communications Office, Lira Diocese

Lira Diocese has launched an emergency food collection campaign to support communities affected by severe food shortages in the Dioceses of Kotido and Moroto following an appeal by the Uganda Episcopal Conference.

In a communication issued through the Social Communications Office, the Vicar General of Lira Diocese, Monsignor Innocent Valente Opio, called upon priests, religious, Christians and all people of goodwill to respond generously to the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Karamoja Sub-region.

According to the communication, prolonged drought has devastated livelihoods, leaving many families without food and exposing children, the elderly and other vulnerable people to hunger and hardship.

To coordinate the relief effort, every parish in Lira Diocese has been directed to establish a food collection centre where Christians and other well-wishers can donate food items for the affected communities.

Caritas Lira Diocese will serve as the main collection centre and coordinate the transportation and delivery of the donations to the Dioceses of Kotido and Moroto. Parish priests, in collaboration with Caritas officials, have also been tasked with ensuring that all collected food items are delivered to the diocesan collection centre in Lira.

The Diocese has designated the months of July and August for the emergency food collection exercise, while September will be reserved for the annual Mission Appeal in support of St. Joseph’s Minor Seminary, Aboke.

The Vicar General appealed to the faithful to respond with compassion, reminding them that supporting those in need is a practical expression of Christian faith. Quoting the Gospel of Matthew, he encouraged the faithful to live out Christ’s call to feed the hungry and care for those in distress.

Christians and people of goodwill have been encouraged to contribute according to their ability by donating food items such as maize, beans, cassava, millet, sorghum, rice and other non-perishable foods to help ease the suffering of families affected by the famine.

Lira Diocese has appealed for unity and generosity, expressing hope that the collective support of the faithful will bring relief and hope to communities facing one of the most severe humanitarian challenges in the Karamoja Sub-region.

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