By Matik Kueth
A deepening food crisis in Uganda’s Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement is forcing some refugee children to abandon their classrooms and attend funerals in search of something to eat, highlighting the growing humanitarian toll of shrinking aid.
According to Pacis Radio in Arua, the worsening hunger situation has pushed many vulnerable families to desperate measures, with children increasingly choosing funeral gatherings over school because they are more likely to find a meal there.
Community leaders and aid workers said the trend reflects the severe food shortages affecting thousands of refugees after repeated reductions in humanitarian assistance.
As food rations continue to shrink, many households are struggling to provide even one meal a day, leaving children hungry and unable to concentrate in school.
The practice has raised alarm among education and child protection advocates, who warn that prolonged absenteeism could increase school dropout rates, expose children to exploitation, and undermine years of progress in ensuring refugee children have access to education.
Parents stressed they face an impossible choice between sending their children to school on empty stomachs or allowing them to seek food wherever it may be available.
For many families, funeral ceremonies have become one of the few occasions where free meals are served to large groups of people.
Humanitarian agencies have repeatedly warned that funding shortfalls are severely affecting refugee operations in Uganda, one of Africa’s largest refugee-hosting countries.
The reduced assistance has left many refugees struggling to meet their basic needs, including food, healthcare and education.
Child rights advocates are urging donors and humanitarian partners to increase support before the situation worsens further, warning that hunger is now threatening not only the health of refugee children but also their future.
Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement hosts tens of thousands of refugees, most of whom fled conflict and instability in neighboring South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Aid organizations noted that sustained funding is critical to prevent more children from being forced to choose between learning and finding their next meal.