Recent Flooding in Aweil Centre County

Flooding in Aweil Centre County, Northern Bahr El Ghazal State, South Sudan

By Bishop Garang Chan of Christ Mission to the World (CMW)

Aweil, SOUTH SUDAN

The rains this year delayed until July this year. It has rained continuously and heavily in South Sudan and particularly in Greater Aweil area of Northern Bhar el Ghazal State.

As a result, the heavy rains have caused flooding in various parts of Aweil Centre County and other Aweil-area counties. Similar flooding had occurred the previous years and the affected people had not fully recovered from the destruction and displacement from the previous year’s flooding and displacement. The floods have displaced many people, and hundreds of hectares of productive land which had crops growing are now flooded, and the danger is that the crops will not grow to maturity.

From the World Food Program, “The onset of Ukraine crisis, increased global fuel prices, value depreciation of the local currency and obstacles to trade, combined with seasonal factors, have led to an increase in fuel and food prices in South Sudan. Comparing prices at the end of June with the last week of February 2022, prices of staple cereals (sorghum and maize) have increased in all monitored markets, notably by 100 percent or more in Northern Bahr El Ghazal and Eastern Equatoria. As the lean season progresses, the availability of staple cereals is expected to deteriorate due to bad road conditions and impassable rivers, affecting cross border trade. This comes at a time when households tend to depend on markets for staples, and when food emergency requirements are at their highest with the start of agricultural activities.”

Deaths have also occurred and recently a child in Adoor died as a result of malaria and water borne diseases. The situation for the affected people is very dire and if nothing is done to address the situation many lives will be lost due to water borne disease, malaria and starvation. The immediate needs and priorities for the displaced persons include the provision of food, water purification tablets, plastic sheeting for temporary shelter, blankets, mosquito nets, soap, and medicines for waterborne diseases.

Our proposed intervention will provide food rations and non-food items to 400 displaced and vulnerable households displaced by flooding in Aweil Centre County of Northern Bahr El Ghazal State. The displaced persons have moved to the highlands where they are camping. Based on the foregoing, CMW is appealing for assistance to procure and distribute wheat flour, lentils, cooking oil, assorted medicines and non-food items to vulnerable flood victims. In selecting the vulnerable households, preference will be given to households with pregnant women, the elderly, disabled persons and infants (5 years or so), women with children whose ages are under 5 years.

1.      Situation Assessment

The targeted 400 displaced and vulnerable households in Northern Bahr El Ghazal State were displaced from their homes by flooding due to the heavy rains that fell in the area recently. The flooding was caused by heavy rains that have been pounding most parts of South Sudan. For most of the displaced victims in Northern Bahr El Ghazal State, the flood waters have destroyed their houses, destroyed their food stocks, flooded their farms and therefore the food crops that were growing on the farms are now water-logged. The local markets are also submerged in flood water, and this has affected trading in the market. Economic situation and starvation have made the prices of commodities very expensive. The result of this destructions is that the flood victims have been made food insecure. More rains are expected in August, September and part of October. The flood waters will start receding in late October 2022 and this is when the affected persons are expected to start moving back to their homes to reconstruct their houses. In the meantime, there is a great need to assist the affected households with food rations, NFIs and medicines.  

Per the World Food Program, “The current flood extent at the end of May 2022 remained the largest ever observed for that time of the year. Areas newly flooded during 2021 in Unity and Upper Nile remained flooded throughout the dry season. There was minimal change in the peak flood extent reached in February, and new, localized and transient flood patches are now appearing because of the first seasonal rains. Rainfall in the Great Lakes basins has been variable, with wetter than average conditions south of Lake Victoria but drier conditions within Uganda.”

Global Orphan Relief (GO!) in collaboration with Christ Mission to the World (CMW) establishes feeding centers at village schools to provide meals, and other relief, to orphan children and have inspired 1,000’s of vulnerable children to attend school.

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We have served in South Sudan since 2016 and have provided an estimated 1.5 million meals impacting more than 3,200 children in South Sudan. The scale of this initiative has grown by over 7 times since our launch in 2016, and this growth is driven by the near-famine conditions and other socio-economic challenges in this country.

In cooperation with two partners, Kids for the Kingdom & Christ Mission to the World, there has been $130,000 invested in these three school sites since October 2020. This investment provides for clean water, kitchens, storerooms, and latrines, all which allows for cost-effective distribution of food aid in these communities.

Global Orphan Relief (GO) has been serving orphaned children since 2005. We have accomplished this work through local in-country partners that provide oversight and distribution of care.

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 at 2022 South Sudan Nutrition or you may give on this website at the upper righthand corner under ‘Donate’ and choosing Nutrition under the Fund designation.

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 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.