A humanitarian disaster is unfolding in Uganda amid widespread food and funding shortages, Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) has warned. 

The Christian charity, which flies humanitarian aid around the world, said that critical funding from the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNHCR to support over 1.5 million refugees in Uganda is to end by September. 

There are over 1.53 million refugees in Uganda and the country has received over 35,000 refugees since the start of 2023 alone because of ongoing violence in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Sudan. 

"Thousands of lives will be in danger across Uganda's growing refugee communities if this funding comes to an end," said Ruth Jack, country director of MAF in Uganda. 

She believes the funding is being diverted to assist with humanitarian needs in other countries like Ukraine, Syria and Turkey. 

"Food shortages are already underway, coupled with widespread uncertainty and critical social and health issues. Meanwhile, eyes are turned towards the headline crisis such as Ukraine, and many lives are being forgotten elsewhere. In Uganda, there is a disaster unfolding, and the world needs to know about it," she said.

MAF flights support over 350 NGOs delivering UNHCR and WFP-funded aid programmes across remote parts of Uganda by flying personnel and freight at heavily subsidised rates each week. 

MAF is preparing to launch a new shuttle flight to the south-west of Uganda in September. The flights will take aid to thousands of people fleeing violence in the DRC. 

"People might be aware of refugees escaping South Sudan in the north. But Congolese refugees have been flooding in for years too - they often go below the radar because this is a war that has been rumbling on for such a long time," said Jack.

"Perhaps the world will notice when children are facing starvation across Uganda's refugee communities."

Jack said that in spite of cuts to funding, demand for MAF flights has been increasing. 

"We are already seeing hunger-related problems such as stunted growth in children across Uganda's refugee camps. I can hardly imagine more than one million refugees left without food or cash support," she said.

"It's a very big concern and thousands of lives are in danger. MAF is very busy trying to do all we can to help vulnerable and isolated communities."