OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER

BIDIBIDI REFUGEE SETTLEMENT FACT SHEET SEPTEMBER 2021

Background

Bidibidi refugee settlement is located in Yumbe district, in West Nile region of Uganda, approximately 581km
North West of Kampala city. It was officially opened on 03 August 2016 to host refugees from South Sudan.
The settlement had two reception centres (capacity of 4,000 each totalling to 8,000 individuals) during the
emergency, refugees were received on arrival by Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), which is in charge of
refugee affairs in Uganda and UNHCR. The settlement is divided into 05 zones (Zone 1,2,3,4 & 5), 19 clusters
and 75 villages. The settlement was closed for new arrivals on December 2016. Family re-union and baby
addition is done for refugees whose relatives join them from other settlements or from South Sudan through
continuous registration.

Population and Profile of Bidibidi refugee resettlement

The total population of Bidibidi is 239,059, All 234,125 refugees (Zone 1: 45,576, Zone 2: 52,567, Zone 3:
56,609, Zone 4: 33,055, Zone 5: 51,252) have been biometrically registered and verified by OPM and UNHCR
(2018) and also through routine registration activities.

Administration

The Settlement is led by Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) Settlement Commandant Mr Michael Nabugere
Joel (0781779744) and UNHCR Head of sub-office Mr. Orkhan Nasibov (0780143717). OPM Bidibidi has a
total of 37 staffs while UNHCR field office comprises of 67 staffs.

Size

Bidibidi refugee settlement is 250sq km wide with 5 zones referred to as zone 1,2,3,4 & 5, Zones are divided
into 19 clusters (Zone1-3, Zone 2-3, Zone 3-5, Zone 4-3 & Zone 5-5) & clusters are divided into villages, there
are 75 villages in Bidibidi. During emergency, each family was allocated 30m x 30m plot of residential land,
additionally; 50m x 50m plot have been allocated for agriculture for interested individuals & farmer groups.

Active partners as of Sept 2021

UN AGENCIES (07): UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNFPA, UNDP, UNESCO, UN Women.

IPS (Implementing partners-06)

IRC, AIRD, URDMC, WMU, FCA, CARITAS ARUA.

OP (Operational partners-50)

DCA, WCH, WCC, SCI, HEKS-EPER, WTI, Plan Int, WVI, CRS, Welthungerhilfe, ICWEA, NRC, HI, FMU, Teach A
man to Fish, WMU, FAWE, Women’s International Peace Center, TPO, ACF, CARE international, Mercy Corps,
East African Play grounds, CIDI, HI, Seed effect Uganda, Raising Gabidho foundation, ADRA, ACORD, JPIIPC,
Hope Health Action East Africa, Caritas Arua, Caritas Uganda, URCS, RLP, AFOD, Insight Mgt Ug ltd, Marian
Brothers, CECI, CEFORD, AFARD, I CAN SOUTH SUDAN, CCEDUC, C-TEN, HIL, NRC, SP, GIZ, East African
Ministries.

CP (Co-operational partners)

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 Yumbe district local government

Partners per sector

Protection/Community services; IRC, WVI CP, SCI, CARE, WCH, WCC, Plan Int, TPO, URCS, RLP, Women
International peace centre, JPIIPC, I can South Sudan, HIL, CTEN, NRC, FAWE, HEKS-EPER, Caritas Uganda.

Heath Services; YDLG, IRC, HI, ACF, TPO, MB, WCC, FMU, AFOD, ICWEA, Hope Health Action Africa, CECI.

Water Hygiene & sanitation (WASH); WMU, NRC, ACORD, WHH, SP, ACORD, GIZ, UMBRELLA, East African
Ministries.

Livelihoods; Caritas Arua, Caritas Uganda, DCA, IRC, Seed effect Uganda, MB, URCS, CEFORD, ACF, CARE,
NRC, WVI, WCC, CIDI, ADRA, Raising Gabdho foundation, AFOD, YDLG-DRDIP.

Education; YDLG, FCA, WVI, SC, Caritas Uganda, NRC, RLP, FMU, NRC, HI, WTI, CEDUC, YDLG, Teach A man to
Fish, ADRA, Bugema University, ADRAA Agric college.

Environment & Energy; YDLG, Raising Gabidho foundation, CEFORD, DCA, CIDI, Caritas Arua, CARE, YDLG-
DRDIP.

Shelter & Infrastructure; CRS, YDLG, Fca.

Food & NFI; WVI, WFP, AIRD, CEFORD.

Border transit centre management: URDMC, Logistics: Africa Initiatives for Relief & Dev’t (AIRD)

Sectorial Activities

Coordination: OPM and UNHCR play the lead role in coordinating the humanitarian response for the refugee
operation with support from the Yumbe District Local Government and Partners. There are 5 levels of
coordination (community engagements, sector working group meeting, zonal coordination meetings,
settlement inter agency coordination meeting & district quarterly inter agency coordination meeting). All the
meetings are monthly with exception of community and other emergency meetings that are held on urgency.

Protection: South Sudanese refugees were granted prima facie refugee status on arrival. OPM supported by
UNHCR conducted level 1 and biometric registration/activities to provide identity documentation to new
arrivals using the RIMS. OPM & UNHCR Conducted biometric verification in 2018 using ProGresV4 for all the
refugees in the settlement. Further, OPM is responsible for the physical security of refugees and has deployed
police officers in the settlement. SGBV and child protection cases are supported through screening checklists
with a focus on data collection and data analysis on routinely basis, as well as assessment of specific
protection needs and risks.

Community Services: As the majority of the refugees approximately (87%) are women and children, OPM,
UNHCR and partners IRC, WVI CP, HEKS-EPER, Plan Int, TPO RLP, Women International peace centre, JPIIPC, I
can South Sudan, HIL, CTEN, NRC, ADRA, FAWE, Caritas Uganda and others identify needs, which are
addressed through community-based approaches by the partners. The aim is to ensure refugees social and
protection needs are met, and more specifically to provide support to Persons with Specific Needs (PSNs). A
total of 20,218 PSNs were identified and verified by an interagency committee. Majority of these PSNs are

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already receiving various forms of specific assistance like shelter construction, processing documents, food
and NFIs etc.

Food: During the influx, newly arrived refugees were provided with 3 hot meals per day at the reception
center (not operational as of March 2017). When a family is allocated their plot of land, they receive a
monthly WFP food ration of cereal (12kg), CSB (1.5kg), cooking oil (0.9kg), salt (0.15kg) and beans (2.4kg)
totalling to 2,100 kilocalories per person/per day. However, due to Covid 19 threat in early 2020 to date, food
ratio to refugees has been reduced to 60% by WFP. In response to Covid 19 SOPs, all relocated refugees to
date are receiving double food ratios for 60 days to reduce on level of interaction to prevent spread of the
disease through the general food assistance distribution by World vision.

Core relief items/NFIs (CRIs): Upon arrival, refugees were provided with one-time off items like blankets,
sleeping mats, mosquito nets, cups, kitchen set (plates, knife, cooking pans), jerry-cans, wash basins, and
items like soap and sanitary materials for women of reproductive age are routinely given. However, most of
these items have now worn out/go damaged (Jericans, matts, blankets) thus need for replacement. Some few
PSNs have been with NFIs by some few partners.

Shelter and Relocation: Following arrival at the reception centre, refugees were housed in communal
shelters. Upon relocation, a 30m x 30m residential plot per family was allocated by OPM. UNHCR and partners
supported this activity with hygiene and shelter kits composed of plastic sheeting, ropes, hoes, pangas,
slashers, construction poles, latrines slabs, and treated logs once they were settled on their plots of land.
PSNs and vulnerable female-headed households were assisted by constructing for them shelters & toilet.
Semi-permanent PSN shelters have also been constructed to some PSNs who cannot support themselves in
the community. As well permanent & semi-permanent structures in schools, health facilities, community
centres etc have also been built to support service delivery. As of 2021, most refugees are supported with
digging tools to construct their own household latrines and shelters while some of the EVIs are supported by
some partners. However, there is shortage of building materials (poles, logs, grass) since most of them have
been used up by the refugees and are getting most of the construction materials are now found in the far host
community which is also difficult to access by most refugees, partner support has also reduced due to
reduced or lack of funds.

Health and Nutrition: There are 15 health centres III’s in Bidi Bid (Iyete, Twajiji, Bidibidi, Swinga, Koro, Yayari,
Yoyo, Kogmbge, Jomorogo, Bangatuiti, OLuba, Bolomoni, Yangani, Ayivi, & Okubani), of which 09 have been
built permanent (Bidibidi, Yayari, Swinga, Yoyo, Komgbe, Jomorogo, Bangatuti, Yangani, Okubani) and 06
have remained in temporary/semi-permanent structures, 05 government health centers in the host
community (Barakala H/C III, Apo H/C III, Yumbe H/C IV, Midgo IV, Ariwa H/C III) have been supported with
infrastructure and skilled personnel by UNHCR and other partners. Basic services provided include, OPD, IPD,
HIV testing & counselling, maternal health, family planning, immunisation among others with about 465
skilled health personnel. Common diseases are malaria, respiratory tract infection and diarrhoea and now

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threat of Covid 19 from 2019 to date.

Water, sanitation and Hygiene (WASH): There are 43 motorised water systems (z1-7, z2-6, z3-10, z4-10, z5-
10), 135 boreholes (z1-38, z2-21, z3-33, z4-7, z5-36) in the settlement serving the entire refugee population
and the nearby host population. The overall water per capita per person is 16.5 litres per person per day (z1-
16.5, z2-12.1, z3-17.9, z4-13.7, z5-22.1) based on total refugees registered. The common water sources
include: -Boreholes (hand pumps), motorized water systems and water tracking on emergency. Hygiene
promotion, awareness and social mobilization activities like house-to-house sessions, mass campaigns
through media and gatherings and school sessions are being implemented by some WASH partners involved.
Average number of refugees per hygiene promoter is 1:398. General household latrine coverage is at 70.2 %.
(z1-71%, z2-69%, z3-72%, z4-71%, z5-69%).

Education: The settlement has 52 ECD/CFS/Nursery sites with total enrolment of 17,541 of which 14,204
(6,883m/7,321f) were refugees & 3,337 (1,491m/1,847f) were nationals. The settlement is also served by 39
primary schools of which 12 are government aided and 27 are new community schools that were established
because of the refugee influx. 23 of the primary schools have been built permanent and 16 are still in
temporarily shelters. The total enrolment in primary by March 2020 was 67,188 of which 50,345
(26,707m/26,368f) were refugees and 16,843 (8,780m/8,063f) were nationals. There are 06 secondary
schools (Valley view, High land, Yoyo, OLuba, Yangani, Ariwa) with total enrolment of 7,051 of which 5,832
(4,322m/1,500f) were refugees and 1,219 (856m/356f) were nationals. However due to Covid 19 lock down,
all education institutions have been closed in the settlement except candidate classes whose classes were
opened and sat for their exams. Few partners are trying to support the children with home learning packages.

Some partners have been offering vocational skills (tailoring, hair dressing, saloon mechanics, electronics,
carpentry etc), RLP and Caritas Uganda is also offering adult literacy lessons for some beneficiaries. Some
partners have also offered University education scholarships to very few best perming students.

Livelihoods/Environment: The livelihood support that have been given to the refugees and nationals include;
Agro based support with 86,521 beneficiaries of which 61,029 are refugees & 25,492 are nationals, Cash
based beneficiaries are 4,474 of which 3,709 are refugees & 775 are nationals, IGAS beneficiaries are 15, 435
of which 10,400 are refugees & 5,035 are nationals and ICT beneficiaries are 16,630 of which 11,641 are
refugees & 4,989 are nationals among other livelihood interventions. Due to Covid 19 threat, most of the
activities were suspended, however due to easing of the lock down; most of the partners have started
implementation of some activities as they observe the SOPs of Covid 19.

Key Challenges

1. There are poor staff accommodation/staff houses in all sectors education, health, and others, most of them

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 sleep in dilapidating tents/grass thatched houses.
2. Fragile food security situation, Yumbe district is food insecure district disadvantage by very long dry spell
and low agricultural activities. This creates vulnerability to refugees as there is no any other alternative
source of food making them dependant on food aid 100%.
3. Limited livelihood activities. There are limited sustainable livelihood activities in the settlement supporting
few refugees due to limited support from partners, long dry season, fragmented farming etc.
4. There is high environmental degradation in the settlement due to high demand for wood fuel, fire wood,
poles, bush burning etc with limited rehabilitation activities on the environment.
5. Water is still a challenge in some zones like zone 2 where water per capita is still below the sphere
standards and UNHCR standard at 12.1 ltrs per person per day instead of 21lts per person per day.
6. Limited logistical support in terms of vehicles, motorcycles for OPM (5 cars).
7. Staffing gap in OPM (Assistant protection officer 02, Assistant community service office 02, and Community
service officer 01).
8. Lack of male protection house for special protection cases and limited prison cells for inmates in Yumbe
and Bidibidi prisons.
9. Infrastructure is still a challenge. Some of our services are offered in temporary structures which are often
blown off by wind and hence putting our services on stand still i.e., schools, health centres, FDPs among
others.
10. Most of the access roads in the settlement have got damaged thus affecting mobility in the settlement.
11. Very few female police personnel in the settlement.

Acronyms/Abbreviations

ACF Action against Hunger MPJ Millennium Promise Japan

AIRD African Initiative for relief and development NRC Norwegian Refugee Council

ACORD Agency for Cooperation and Research in Plan Plan International

development

ARC American Refugee Committee SEU Seed Effect Uganda

AAR Association for Aid and Relief Japan SP Samaritan Purse

Japan

CARE Care International SCI Save the Children

Caritas Caritas SU Sign Health Uganda

CRS Catholic Relief Services TPO Transcultural Psychosocial Organisation

CEFORD Community Empowerment for Rural URCS Uganda Red Cross Society
Development

DCA Dan Church Aid FAO Food and Agricultural Organisation

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DRC Danish Refugee Council UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees

DHO District Health Officer UN- United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and
Women the empowerment of women

FCA Fin Church Aid UNICEF United Nations Children Fund

OPM Office of the Prime Minister UNFPA United Nations Population Fund

HHI Health Home Initiative WCC War Child Canada

HIL Here is Life WCH War Child Holland

IAU Inter Aid Uganda WMI Water Mission International

IRC International Rescue Committee WHH Welthungerhilfe

MC Mercy Corps WTI Wintle Trust International

MI Malteeser International WFP World food program

WVI World Vision International YDLG Yumbe District Local government

ZOA ZOA-Uganda UNESCO United Nations Education and Scientific

Organisation

UNDP United Nations Development program EAM East African Ministries

IFRC International Federation of Red Crescent MdM-F Medicins Du Monde France

VFU Vision Fund Uganda VSO Voluntary Services Overseas Uganda

RGF Raising Gabidho Foundation RLP Refugee Law project

YEI Young Adult Empowerment Initiative NUWODU National Union of Women with Disabilities of
Uganda

ICCO Inter Church cooperation for development REHORE Restoration and Hope for Refugees

HI Humanitarian Aid CIDI Community Integrated Development Initiative

C-TEN Community Technology Empowerment Network MB Mariam Brothers

CoU Church of Uganda CVT Center for Victims of Torture

APPCO CP Child protection

CB Community Based PSS Psychosocial Support

SGBV Sexual Gender Based Violence PB Peace Building

PoC Person of Concern AEP Accelerated Education Program

IRE Initiative for Rural Empowerment HRAPF Human Rights Awareness & promotion Forum

JPIIPC JOHN PAUL II AND PEACE CENTER ANCHOR African Non-profit Chore ltd

FMU Finished Mission in Uganda AFOD Alliance Forum for development

FERED Front Eye for Rural development IEGE Integral education for gender empowerment

CECI Community Empowerment for Creative Innovation FAWE Forum for African Women Educationalists Uganda chapter

CCEDUC Care Community Education Center Child development ICWEA International community of Women living with

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 HIV East Africa.

OPM BIDBIDI REFUGEE SETTLEMENT

COORINDATION STRUCTURE
Quarterly inter agency meeting

Quarterly
After 3 months
inter agency
(OPM/YDLG
meeting
LC V/UNHCR
(After 3 months)
HoSo)
Quarterly inter agency meeting
(OPM/YDLG CAO/UNHCR HoSo)
After 3 months (OPM/YDLG LC V/UNHCR HoSo)

Settlement level inter agency coordination meeting (Monthly)

Monthly (S/C & UNHCR HoSo)

Settlement level sector working group (SLWG) meeting (Monthly)

(Protection, Education, Health, WASH, Environment, Livelihood, Food & NFI)

Zonal coordination meeting (Monthly)

(5 Zones, ASC/UNHCR field officer), All sectors

Zonal level sector working group (SLWG) meeting (Monthly)

(Protection, Education, Health, WASH, Environment, Livelihood, Food & NFI).

RWC/FMC/WUC/NW/VHT meeting, Community policing, community

dialogues/sensitizations

(Routinely based on community/partner arrangements)