As more and more refugees flee South Sudan and pour across the border to Uganda, the need for food is great. And we’re counting on the support of friends like you to help feed 8,000 desperately hungry children every day in refugee camps like Kiryandongo.
What’s behind the conflict?
More than 93,000 refugees from South Sudan have arrived in northern Uganda since December 2013. According to estimates from the United Nations, fighting between groups loyal to President Salva Kiir and those aligned with former Vice President Riek Marchar has killed 10,000 and displaced up to 1 million.
Although both leaders have supporters from across South Sudan’s ethnic divides, fighting has often been communal with rebels targeting members of Kiir’s Dinka ethnic group and government soldiers attacking Nuers, the group from which Machar hails.
A ceasefire was agreed upon. But fighting has continued in some areas, and correspondents say it could be further jeopardized by treason charges against some of Machar’s allies over what authorities say was a “coup attempt” in December.
Despite the ongoing peace efforts by the regional leaders and international partners, the situation in South Sudan has continued to escalate, causing well over 100,000 internally displaced persons inside South Sudan—and thousands of South Sudanese refugees seeking refuge in Uganda’s Arua, Koboko, and Adjuman districts.
But Ugandans are less inclined to surrender their land for the refugee rehabilitation and settlement. And for this and other reasons, the Minister of Relief Disaster Preparedness and Refugees has indicated the urgent need to relocate the refuges to older settlement camps in West Nile and also utilize the Kiryandongo refugee camp.
What Feed The Hungry is doing – with your help
In response to the Government of Uganda’s request for help, Feed The Hungry has already established feeding programs in 7 schools. But with hundreds of new South Sudanese refugees flooding into Ugandan camps every day, the demand for food, education and the gospel is great.
“Every day, 300 to 400 new Sudanese refugees come in who get resettled in Kiryandongo,” says Pastor Solomon, Feed The Hungry’s ministry partner in Uganda. “And the schools are struggling because of the daily increase of kids that are coming in.”
Withso many refugees pouring into Uganda, the situation has almost pushed Pastor Solomon’s team past the breaking point. However, he says the resources provided through the gifts and prayers of Feed The Hungry supporters like you make all the difference when they arrive.
Feed The Hungry has determined that approximately 50% of the South Sudanese refugees are children, and in the combined 7 feeding programs currently feeds 8,000 children a day.
Thank you for your gifts and prayers
With hundreds of new Sudanese refugees arriving at refugee camps like Kiryandongo every day, the need for food is great. So we thank you for your ongoing support during Feed The Hungry’s Summer Campaign to provide physical and spiritual nourishment for these hungry children.
This summer, let’s show them how good a full life can feel!