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Catholic Entity Reaching Out to Thousands Fleeing Violence in South Sudanese State

Credit: Caritas South Sudan

By Patrick Juma Wani

Tombura-Yambio, 07 April, 2023 / 8:37 pm (ACI Africa).

Caritas South Sudan, the development and humanitarian arm of the Catholic Bishops in the East-Central African country is reaching out to thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) fleeing violence in Central Equatoria States with food items.

In an April 4 message shared with ACI Africa, Paul Pascal, Caritas South Sudan Humanitarian Coordinator, says Caritas South Sudan has so far provided “assorted food items” to 1,250 households.

“The exercise is a food distribution to the internally displaced persons from Lainya County and the surrounding Yei County who were displaced by the recent conflict,” Mr. Pascal says.

The official of the entity of the Sudan/South Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SCBC) adds, “The distribution will be in two places that’s Gezira and Atende targeting one thousand two hundred and fifty households to receive these assorted food items such as maize flour, cooking oil, sugar, salt and beans.”

“They have received half of the portions previously and we are just completing the remaining portion,” the Caritas South Sudan humanitarian Coordinator says.

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Each household receives “50 kilograms of maize flour and a complete package of 25 kgs of maize,” he further says.

Reflecting on the situation of the IDPs, the Caritas South Sudan official explains, “These IDPs are not having enough food items because they are unable to cultivate their own food due to the insecure environment where they are living.”

“These little items we are giving will help them and their families as they wait to embark on their farm activities,” Mr. Pascal adds in the April 4 message shared with ACI Africa.

One of the IDPs, Beida Yobu James, lauded Caritas South Sudan for the support to rescue the displaced persons from hunger.

“I want to thank Caritas for their solidarity with us the IDPs because their support will help our families to get proper food,” she says, and implores God’s blessings upon those who reach out “to poor people like us who are unable to help themselves.”

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She further says, “We are suffering because of a lack of proper shelter and food. Our children depend on coconut all the time to survive.”

Martin Sakus Surur, a camp representative, calls on other organizations to support the people who are vulnerable due to the violence.

The camp representative lauds Caritas South Sudan for the support, saying, “This organization has helped us although what they gave us is little because we didn’t expect that to happen at this time.”

“We are calling on the other international organization to come to our rescue because we cannot be able to go out and dig for ourselves,” he says, adding, “It’s really hard for us to get food, some of us are spending two days without eating.”

Patrick Juma Wani

Patrick Juma Wani is a South Sudanese journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. Patrick holds a Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication from Makerere Institute for Social Development (MISD) in Uganda. He has over 7 years of extensive experience in leading the development and implementation of media, advocacy, communication and multimedia strategy and operations, with an excellent track record of editorial leadership, budget management, and stakeholder outreach. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.

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