Oxfam provides assistance to IDPs in Wau town
July 1, 2016 (JUBA) – Following a deadly violence last week in South Sudan’s Wau town which left dozens killed and tens of thousands displaced, an international charity, Oxfam, said it has deployed teams on the ground to distribute basic necessities to the internally displaced persons (IDPs).
“Our Emergency Response and Preparedness team was deployed from Juba, bringing life-saving relief to displaced residents over the following days. Oxfam’s work is mainly focused at the UNMISS camp and the Catholic Cathedral where more than 22,000 IDPs are currently seeking shelter, protection and services,” partly reads Oxfam’s 1 July statement extended to Sudan Tribune.
The humanitarian aid organization has constructed 30 blocks of latrines, installed 7 hand washing facilities at UNMISS, and installed two water bladders with a combined capacity of 15,000 litres, it said.
Oxfam’s statement also added that it has trained 28 Community Health Promoters to ensure community awareness on safe water usage, latrine cleaning, hand washing and safe disposal of waste at this critical time.
“To assist those seeking shelter at the Catholic Church, Oxfam rehabilitated 30 latrines and 2 boreholes. Three bladders were installed, ensuring access to 8.2 litres of clean water per person per day. Oxfam also trained 28 more people to spread hygiene promotion messaging.”
It has also distributed soap, buckets and jerry cans to people seeking shelter at St. Joseph’s school, the South Sudan Red Cross compound, and the Catholic Church.
It said the humanitarian needs in and around Wau are enormous, adding that a lot of IDPs lost their entire families and households, escaping the violence with nothing but their “bare lives.
Oxfam said it will continue to work at the UNMISS camp and establish an Oral Dehydration Point to treat diarrhoea cases. It also sent a team to Mboro on Friday, a region hosting a reported 19,000 people who are yet to receive assistance.
“Our team will be carrying supplies to repair boreholes and distribute soap along with assessing additional need,” it concluded.
(ST)