By Todd Hardesty | Executive Director
The war in Sudan has been raging now for more than 100 days. Attempts for a truce, ceasefires, pleas from around the world to bring the war to an end, have all faltered. As people flee the violence, an estimated 150,000 refugees have crossed into South Sudan. The majority are women and children. They are returning to their home villages hoping to find shelter and food with family members.
On a recent day our team reported that 1,000 refugees arrived by boat into our village of Old Fangak. It's estimated that around 30,000 displaced people have already arrived here, and in the villages nearby. No agency is equipped to provide food for this many refugees. And more are coming.
On the same day that these refugees arrived, our agriculture team was busy distributing seeds, seedlings, and watering cans. They were in a nearby village called Guer. A blue table outside of a large World Food Programmed tent was our workstation. At Guer we signed up many new farmers. We are close to reaching 1,000 farming households annually with this program. Seeds, seedlings, and tools. All to fight famine.
Fighting famine with farming is working. When you count extended family, at least 10,000 people benefit directly with food they grow on small plots of land. The farmers are also selling their extra crops in the markets. Refugees stepping off a boat in Old Fangak can find food that is grown locally and will be added to the food supplied by responding agencies.
One area of greatest need right now are tools for the new farmers. Shovels, digging bars, machetes, hoes, and rakes. A complete set costs $52. As we add more farmers, we are in short supply of these tools. A gift of $52 dollars will help one family.
The impact of your gift is measurable. Families have food. It’s not an abundance, but it is food that helps nourish their children. It is food that the refugees coming from Sudan would not have available without the funds provided for this program. Village by village, household by household, we are fighting famine with farming. Thanks to you it is working.
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