by Dr Callum Henderson
One of Comfort International’s most recent projects is support for extremely poor children and families in South Sudan.
South Sudan has struggled with decades of conflict and internal power struggles which have led to economic and social insecurity and poverty. United Nations figures show that 74.3% of inhabitants live in “severe multi-dimensional poverty”, it is ranked 186 out of 189 on the UN Human Development Index and bottom of the World Happiness ranking. Unicef estimates that 70% of children do not attend school which concurs with our research in the Gumbo area where our Child Support project is based.
During and after the wars many people came to the east side of the Nile near the capital, Juba, to an area called Gumbo. Originally serving as a camp for people fleeing violence it is largely composed of round grass thatched mud houses and rectangular tin roofed mud homes. It is here that many of the poorest people in the area live.
Our Child Support project supports very vulnerable children to remain at home and attend school, rather than move to the streets or into prostitution. It is common for children in Gumbo to go hungry often not eating for 3 days in a row so the project provides supplementary food as well as access to schooling and health care (Comfort South Sudan have connected with four local schools and a local clinic). The project is funded though individual sponsorship and grants. With 30 children already accepted onto the project (11 sponsored) and with the hope of expanding to 50 by next March it is imperative that more sponsors and external funds are secured.
The Comfort South Sudan team is made up of local volunteers, mostly women, who were already trying to help the children in the area. They have received training from Comfort Rwanda, who are overseeing the project. Visits from Comfort Rwanda and Comfort International have been a significant encouragement.
If you know of anyone who would be willing to support this project or sponsor a child please encourage them to contact our office.
| extreme multi-dimensional poverty | family support and help out of poverty | |
| extreme hunger – often no meals for 3 days | regular meals, more energy to do things | |
| no access to schooling | education in one of 4 local primary schools | |
| potential life on the streets/prostitution | bright future, families stay together | |
| encouraged into drug taking and crime | connected to a supportive community | |
| no access to healthcare | access to healthcare at local clinic |
A little can change a life