World Vision extends operation to S. Sudan’s remote areas

December 1, 2014 (JUBA) – World Vision said emergency relief operations in the north of South Sudan have been expanded to reach many of those displaced by conflict and had not received aid.

“One in 17 people, who have fled violence, live in the protection of civilian sites; the majority of those displaced by conflict are living in other towns or villages,” Perry Mansfield, World Vision South Sudan’s director said in a release.

“These are the people that World Vision is reaching through its extended aid operations,” he added.

Funded by the Common Humanitarian Fund, World Vision has reportedly created mobile teams quickly deployed to remote places to distribute aid and leave.

The program, it said, aims to reach over 100,000 people by the end of January 2015, having benefitted nearly half a million people in Upper Nile, Jonglei and Unity state since the response began in January.

“Along with the logistical challenges – poor roads and expensive air travel – a volatile security situation makes South Sudan a tough place in which to deliver aid,” said Fred McCray, World Vision South Sudan’s operation director.

“We manage to reach the most remote places with the help of over 700 national staff. These people know how to get to the smallest villages and are used to the tough conditions. Although our funding comes from other places, the aid is delivered by South Sudanese,” he added.

HOUSEHOLDS ASSISTED

Meanwhile the organisation said its mobile teams have been able to reach thousands of people outside the operational areas of many aid organisations.

“In Koch, Unity State, World Vision has provided over 1400 households with kits containing mosquito nets, plastic sheets, clothing fabric, sleeping mats and blankets, 958 households with fishing kits containing hooks and nylon twine and 290 households with agricultural kits containing vegetable seed and agricultural tools,” partly reads its release extended to Sudan Tribune.

In addition, it added, “over 800 children under 5 years have been screened for malnutrition (59 or 7% were diagnosed) and 470 pregnant and lactating women screened for malnutrition (124 or 26% were diagnosed)”.

At least 2,000 households, World Vision says, need more aid and plans to reach them through further distributions in Upper Nile state’s Ulang county in the next two weeks.

“As long as the resources are there, we will continue to expand our programs and try to reach the most remote regions of South Sudan with aid,” said Mansfield.

(ST)