by Halcyon Martin
Taking steps to bring hope in a desperate land.
South Sudan is one of the most vulnerable states in the world. In 2018 South Sudan was ranked as the most vulnerable. The ranking system uses 12 different indicators to determine the vulnerability of the states. These factors include human rights, public services, demographic pressures, refugees and internally displaced persons, and security.
Comfort International believes that this vulnerability does not have to continue and is taking steps to bring hope in South Sudan beginning with the Child Support project. This project provides food, clothes, education and community support for children and extremely poor families in Gumbo. It encourages hope, kindness, integrity, learning and working together.
Currently South Sudan and especially Gumbo are going through many hardships. Gumbo is situated on the banks of the Nile and heavy rain has caused the Nile to burst its banks flooding the land, homes, schools and businesses and several people have drowned. Half of the population of Gumbo has been forced to move to the nearest mountain and are sleeping in poor quality temporary tents. Many of those on our Child Support project are facing the same struggles, with some now living in makeshift tents on the hillside and other beneficiaries requesting urgent support to move quickly before it rains again.
The children on the project would normally attend a number of different schools. Two of these schools are almost covered with water so several of the children are no longer able to go to school at this time. The members of the Comfort South Sudan team are encouraging the children to continue their studies at home where they can as national exams are very soon, but studying in these conditions is not easy. Also because of the current pandemic the schools are closed to primary 1 to 4’s but remain open for primary 5 & 6 and secondary 1 to 6. Only about 5 of the project children are therefore presently at school. No more than seven people are allowed to meet together.
On top of this, unrest on the Ugandan border has forced food prices to rise.The killing of Ugandan truck drivers who were bringing food to Juba in South Sudan caused President Museveni of Uganda to force Ugandan run shops and stalls in the area to close with immediate effect while demanding an investigation into the deaths. This has meant that very little food is now crossing the border into South Sudan and food shortages are leading to vastly inflated food prices; meat is now trading at c.2500 SSP = £20 a kilo and one onion is 100 SSP = 80p. This has made getting food to the project beneficiaries and their guardians difficult, expensive and a high priority. The price of fuel is also very volatile, there are now only 2 petrol stations working in the city.
Although the outlook may seem bleak we believe that God has a different story for South Sudan and so we are choosing to take steps for change. The steps may seem very small compared to the current size of the problem but they are there and we believe that they will make a difference that will grow.
If you can help with emergency support or if you would like to sponsor one of the children still awaiting sponsorship please click on one of the buttons at the top of the page or contact us directly – be part of the change.
If you pray please pray for South Sudan and for the Child Support project.
“For the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted perish forever.” Psalm 9:18