The number of times the children receives the milk in a week is determined by their respective ages, the Parish Priest said and explained, “Taking of milk has a category, from six months to one year, then one year to one and a half years up to two years. The children who are below six months to one-year come thrice a week.”
“Every child is placed on the feeding program for a duration of six months. The children are then taken for medical examinations to ascertain their health status,” he further explained.
Fr. Kumar continued, “A registered child will be released after six months because after six months Usratuna will arrange for a medical camp to check the children’s health and physical strength.”
“If they are found fit and strong, they will be released from the program and those not yet stable would continue to participate in the nutrition program,” he said in reference to the beneficiaries of the feeding program.
Fr. Kumar was speaking to ACI Africa on the sidelines of the December 1 feeding program that also saw members of Usratuna in collaboration with Relief Line Africa Company provide aid to victims of intercommunal clashes seeking shelter in various Mission schools within the Archdiocese of Juba.
“We are distributing food materials through one of our Indian Companies; they have come here to Mary Queen of the Apostles Parish to distribute food to the children and the abandoned families of 250 households,” Fr. Kumar said.
“The items we have received from Relief Line Africa are maize flour, rice, sugar, beans and oil,” he said and added, “For every household, we are giving each five kilograms per item, 5kg of maize flour, 5kg of rice, 5kg of beans, 5 kg of sugar and 5 litres of oil.”
Fr. Kumar lauded the leadership of Hindu-owned Relief line Africa for going beyond religion to serve the people of God in Juba.
“Relief line Africa has come over with food. It is not a Catholic organization, not even a Christian organization, they are Hindus but have been moved by the very work that we are doing for mission here in South Sudan,” he said.
Fr. Kumar further said, “Among the IDPs beneficiaries receiving items, include one orphanage home with 25 destitute children who I invited to get their share.”
