South Sudan came into existence in 2011, and already tops a UN table – the highest score in the Fragile States (formerly Failed States) Index. The area has been affected by warfare for all but 10 of the last 65 years; the new country descended into vicious ethnic and political civil war in 2013. The war has taken at least 300,000 lives, displacing 3 million people (out of a total population of c. 12 million). There has been a catalogue of brutality and abuse by all sides in the multi-party conflict. Up to 9,000 child soldiers have been used, and parts of the country were officially declared as suffering from famine in 2016 – South Sudan was one of the countries worst affected by the East Africa Food Emergency. There is no realistic end in sight.
So, what does the world community do? Do we throw our hands up & turn our back on innocent people suffering in this most extreme setting? Thankfully, this has not happened, although the UN and NGOs have had to withdraw from some areas. ElectricAid has committed €167,000 to 18 projects in South Sudan since 2011 – initially in positive development work, more recently in emergency responses. The medical infrastructure in rural areas was almost non-existent in 2011 – basic health care has been a priority. Loreto School in Rumbek, a beacon of educational attainment, has been funded more than once. GOAL’s rural healthcare programmes have been supported. Mary’s Meals feeding programme has been helped. As ever, WASH programmes have been prioritised.
Your generosity has not been wasted. Excellent, long-tem work has been supported with 78% of our funding. People’s lives have been saved with emergency support – 22% of our funding. There will be a better, brighter day for the people of South Sudan.
Photos are from World Vision’s emergency rehousing project, and from GOAL’s rural health care programme, both supported by ElectricAid.
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