Save the Children send food aid to remote South Sudan communities

31 July 2011

Many communities in newly independent South Sudan are at risk of hunger, disease and unrest.

Along with existing inter-tribal unrest and border conflict, the newly independent nation is also experiencing poor rainy seasons. With the world’s attention currently on the hunger crisis in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia, the drought crisis could spread to South Sudan.

"South Sudanese children are among the poorest in the world," says Steve Morgan, Save the Children's country director. Their research suggests that 45% of young children suffer from malnutrition, and is involved in several projects to reach the most vulnerable children.

The charity called on MAF to deliver food to isolated communities in the north east of the country, locations even more remote than the ones we usually go to.

MAF’s short-term relief pilot Bryan Pill did three days of flights from Juba to these villages, delivering five tons of food and supplies, including boxes of Plumpy'nut, a peanut-based food for use in famine relief. This will be distributed by Save the Children.

Recent fighting over the contested border district of Abyei has underlined the volatile situation in the region, with South Sudan continuing to struggle with a huge influx of displaced people returning to the newly-independent country.