South Sudan Crisis – Malteser International intensifies relief: “Dramatic shortages in every area”
As the civil crisis in South Sudan continues to deepen, Malteser International is intensifying relief to those displaced by the ongoing civil war.1.3 million people have fled the violence to safer places within the country and to neighboring countries, and are in urgent need of humanitarian aid.
“Because of the increasingly large number of displaced persons and refugees, there are dramatic supply shortages in almost every area: food, water, shelter, and health care,” says Jan Gruss, Malteser International’s South Sudan program manager. “The start of the rainy season will cause the situation to deteriorate even further, as logistical challenges such as muddy roads hamper the delivery of relief goods.”
In the county of Maridi in the southwest of the country, where Malteser International has been working to strengthen the health care system, the organization will initially provide food packages and household items to 7,500 people; these displaced families will also receive seeds and agricultural tools so that they may improve their food supplies in the long run.
Over the past three months, Malteser International helped improve and expand the water supply in Rhino Camp, a refugee camp in North Uganda currently hosting 11,000 South Sudanese refugees. The well in one cluster was equipped with a solar-powered pump, a high-level tank and tapping points. Malteser International will sink three more boreholes in critical places; four more wells will be motorized and distribution systems will be installed to improve access to safe water. In addition, 25 of the area’s wells will be protected against animals with help from the community, and rainwater harvesting systems will be installed at the camp’s schools and health posts. In order to improve the hygiene situation in the camp, the project will also include hygiene education and the distribution of 24,000 soap bars as well as hygiene kits for girls.
Malteser International has worked in today’s South Sudan since 1996. The relief activities count on funding from Germany’s Federal Foreign Office.
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- Civil war prevails in South Sudan for more than 3 months: 11,000 people found refuge in the Rhino refugee camp in Uganda
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- The refugees are in dire need of water, food, shelter and hygiene. In the camp we are helping improve the water supply.
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- We are setting rainwater harvesting tanks which allow to stock large amount of water for the refugees
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- The wells are equipped with solar-powered pumps, high-level tanks and distribution systems to allow to tap the water in many places.
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- The rainwater harvesting tanks are in function.
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- The teams are setting up the wells
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- The access to clean drinking water will also help improve the hygiene situation in the camp and reduce the spread of diseases
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- The well is equipped with a solar-powered pump.
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- The children are pleased to know that soon, everyone will have clean water to drink.
