GO! | SOUTH SUDAN FLOODING

GO! | SOUTH SUDAN FLOODING

October 14, 2021

By Scott Nordstrom

Many of you know that we have been serving in South Sudan since 2016 and that I personally visited this newest country on our globe in 2019, but I wanted to bring you up to speed on several developments that the people of South Sudan are dealing with as of late. 

As has been reported by major media outlets, South Sudan has experienced severe flooding over the last several months that has affected 466,000 people (623,000 people as reported by Aljazeera).  This is not the sole challenge the people are dealing with, so as they adjust to the local flooding their problems have only been compounded by this climatic event.

Four out of five of South Sudan’s 11 million people live in “absolute poverty”, according to the World Bank in 2018, while more than 60 percent of its population suffers from severe hunger from the combined effects of conflict, drought and floods.

Aid workers are using canoes and boats to reach stranded populations, with more than two-thirds of the affected areas now facing the risk of hunger as food prices shoot up, recording a 15-percent jump since August, it added

Schools, homes, health facilities and water sources were inundated, impacting people’s access to basic services. Physical access remained a major challenge for humanitarian organizations to assess and respond to the needs of flood-affected people. ALJAZEERA

As can be seen in the top left portion of the map, Aweil East is referenced as a place with widespread flooding. We feed 937 orphaned children at schools that reside in Aweil East; at Adoor and Lueth-wek, and have been providing emergency medical to another 1,324 children at these locations.

Flooding in Aweil Town, 2019

 When I visited in 2019 there was some limited flooding taking place, and many were moving to high ground.  Temporary structures were crowded onto the berm of the railroad tracks that went through Aweil, and these conditions were not good for the people.

 As I understand it, the flooding is more severe in 2021 than has been experienced in many years.  Our efforts have been hampered to distribute aid where it is needed, communication from the field has decreased with transport being unavailable, and the beneficiaries -the children have been obstructed from coming to school and receiving their meal in many instances. Several weeks ago, we received this live report from our man on the ground Thiik-awet reporting from the Adoor Village:

Widespread flooding has also been reported to us by our ministry partner Christ Mission to the World over the last number of months. We did agree to work with them in distributing life-saving medicines to the three schools where we serve together, to combat water bourne diseases. With months of standing water there has been a rise in illness among the children. Earlier this week the following pictures were provided to me by Bishop Garang with Christ Mission to the world, and these scenes are from Aweil East:

With churches and homes either submerged or with roofs collapsing, this is a very difficult time for these communities. Thankfully, none of the structures built in the last 12-months have been affected, other than the latrines we began to construct right before the rains came. Please be praying for these families, and more specifically the children, as they now deal with this flooding. Pray that critical aid makes it to the distribution sites and that the children can also come to receive their education and nutrition.

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In the first nine months of this year we have provided an estimated 403,320 meals impacting 3,162 vulnerable children in South Sudan. The scale of this initiative has grown by nearly 2x when compared to 2020 when we served an estimated 209,680 meals to 2,113 vulnerable children.

In cooperation with multiple partners (Kids for the Kingdom & Christ Mission to the World), together we have invested in these school sites with additional infrastructure over the last 12-months by investing $126,200 during this time for water, kitchens, storerooms, and latrines. We are thankful for these partners that make this work possible. Working together more children will receive meals, with larger portions, and the Kingdom of God will continue to advance in South Sudan!

We also serve 69 orphaned children in South Sudan through our home-based care initiative. Care distribution is handled by Christ Mission to the World via their Lighthouse Orphanage location.

Scott Nordstrom leads GO! today and was a co-founder when we launched in 2005. Scott has served with GO! for 16-years, and has been responsible in deploying 160 volunteers on 25 teams to the mission field. He has personally served in DR Congo, India, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, South Sudan, and Zambia since 2005. Scott has also spoke in the United States, as well as, internationally regarding child welfare and matters of faith, hope, and love.

You may send support or other correspondence to Global Orphan Relief, 16352 Prairie Farm Cir, Parker, CO 80134 or you may give also give electronically to support children in South Sudan at at 2021 South Sudan Nutrition or 2021 Home-based Care.   

Movement of FAITH   |   Voice of HOPE   |   Act of LOVE

 Global Orphan Relief is a Christian relief agency serving Orphans in need and a recognized U.S. public charity, tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3).  All donations are tax deductible to the extent of the law.