NUTRITION IN SOUTH SUDAN
AWEIL COMMUNITY ORPHANS FEEDING PROGRAMME (ACOFP) https://globalorphanrelief.networkforgood.com/projects/22817-south-sudan-feeding-program
HISTORY: This program came out of a three-year long-distance relationship with Reverend Garang Chan who serves in Northern Bhar el Ghazal State in South Sudan.
The program involves a school feeding operation in two villages, namely Adoor Village (Aweil East) and Beliek Village (Aweil South) in turn, increase access to education and improved nutrition for 300 orphaned children is provided. With the ongoing conflict continuing in South Sudan, food security is an increasing concern, with many of these children not receiving any sustenance except for what they receive through this program.
The primary education net enrollment rate in Northern Bhar el Ghazal State is very low, and the number of children completing primary education is poor because of high dropout rates and minimal progression rates. Malnutrition is common among children and low attendance at school is predominantly Attributed to sickness or hunger.
Our program meets the development needs of Aweil South County and Aweil East County, both in Northern Bhar el Ghazal State, by contributing to the goal of universal primary education that targets children living in areas of poverty and food insecurity. By removing barriers to education, such as hunger, we can improve outcomes for more vulnerable children.
Our partner in South Sudan is Christ Mission to the World. Together we are providing school supplemental feeding as a strategy to keep children in school as well as, to get children who have dropped-out to come back and continue with their educational pursuits. Of greatest concern however, are the orphaned girls, some as young as 11 years of age, who are forced by circumstances to drop out of school to marry older men to enable them to support their younger siblings. These girls apparently turn to their former teachers for emotional support, openly admitting that early marriage is not the best option for their circumstances after all, and that they would opt to go back to school where they can receive a second chance if they had the opportunity.
Aweil Community Orphans Feeding Programme (ACOFP) is in partnership with Christ Mission to the World. This program was launched in February 2016 with no outside commitments for funding due to children that were going hungry in the Aweil, South Sudan area. This program was doing a similar work that ended in mid-2015 due to a lack of funding. Global Orphan Relief has stepped in to advocate for these hungry children based on faith alone. In addition to daily feedings (now 5-days per week), bible clubs and lessons will be provided to the children.
ACHEIVEMENTS: Since February 2016 we have been feeding 300 orphaned children through this partnership. This program has taken on heightened level of importance based on the continued armed conflict in the region. This program is critical for the nutritional needs of these children. As an added benefit, they receive educational instruction and soul-saving biblical guidance. We have provided 122,550 meals to date.
We were also able to help in 2016 with malaria medication due to very limited access of these lifesaving drugs.
OBJECTIVE: The overall objective is to improve access of orphaned children to basic education, and particularly by those food insecure villages of Adoor Village (Aweil East) and Beliek Village (Aweil South). This includes retention of these children to attend school on an ongoing basis.
We see real opportunity for orphaned children to stay with extended family, and have the availability to attend a school that provides the nutrition that they need. There are so many benefits for the child to be with extended family and not be relocated to an orphanage simply because the extended family has limited resources. In addition, there are real possibilities for the cycle of poverty to be broken given that these children will receive an education that is available and taken advantage of when food is an added benefit.
We hope that this is just the start with our partners Christ Mission to the World to provide food and biblical instruction to the orphans of South Sudan. When additional funding is secured we can then consider an additional 900 orphans at two additional locations. You can help today by going to our South Sudan Nutrition page at https://globalorphanrelief.networkforgood.com/projects/22817-south-sudan-feeding-program
If you prefer, you may send a check to Global Orphan Relief, 16352 Prairie Farm Cir, Parker, CO 80134. Thank you for your prayerful consideration.
Blessings,
Scott