Post project impact assessment of DRR interventions in Katakwi, Uganda

From 2010 – 2011 the Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS), with support from the American Red Cross (ARC), implemented a disaster risk reduction project (DRR) in the Teso sub-region of Eastern  Uganda. Known informally as the “Katakwi DRR Project”, this project was implemented in six parishes across two sub-counties. The goal of this project was to help communities identify disaster risks and take steps that would help them prepare for, respond to, and mitigate disasters. There were two main objectives in this project.

First, community based disaster risk reduction (CBDRR) would be used to help communities identify and prepare for disasters. Second, the disaster management capacity of the URCS and local communities would be strengthened. The major components of the project included the establishment of CBDRR groups and the implementation of micro-projects like energy saving ‘Lorena’ cook stoves. Underpinning these goals and objectives was the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA), which identifies five key priority areas for DRR efforts.

This impact evaluation used a mixed methods approach to collect data using a household survey, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. Data was then analyzed in the context of the HFA priority areas and the URCS National DRR Strategy. A brief summary of key findings from the evaluation are included below.