Food & Water for Refugees in South Sudan

Like the rest of the world, South Sudan is facing and dealing with the Covid 19 outbreak. In the midst of this pandemic comes another crisis.  Rising flood waters of the Nile River have displaced close to one million people.  Exacerbated by climate change, the people are seeing the highest waters in a century.  Many have lost their homes, all their food, and are now refugees—an estimated 300,000 flood refugees in the region where we work.

As a NGO working to provide clean water and develop agriculture to fight famine our hearts break seeing so many more people in distress.  But we also are moved to action.

Before the floods we had already provided six new sources of clean water in remote villages near Old Fangak.  This involved drilling new boreholes or repairing wells that were dysfunctional.  Clean water is essential to good health.  We had also begun to bring seeds and tools for small family farms and gardens for the refugees who already are in our area.  They had come mostly to flee internal conflict.

Now with flood refugees, our goal is to double the amount of seeds, hoes, shovels, watering cans and foot pumps so that we can help families feed themselves during this crisis.  Imagine if you lost all your food and any means to grow more?  Then imagine how you'd feel is someone, you did not know, came to your aid.  Miracle. Gift from heaven.  This is how the Southern Sudanese refugees feel when we are able to provide them basic help.

We also intend on drilling six new boreholes in the next three months. All in areas where this is not any source of clean water.

We are good at this. In this area along the Nile River the people call us the Alaska Team. They believe that "Alaska" means hope for a better future.  It's now up to all of us to continue to deliver the help they need.