South Sudan Among the World's Forgotten Disasters
In South Sudan 3.7 million people are dependent on humanitarian assistance.
In South Sudan the situation for the civilian population is becoming increasingly severe. 3.7 million people are dependent on humanitarian assistance and in the coming year the number of those going hungry will continue to rise. All peace agreements have failed, meaning that the government and rebels are still fighting fierce battles in many parts of the country. Almost every day women are attacked, villages are burned and people are driven from their fields. More than 1 million South Sudanese have already left their land in fear of the violent attacks.
"A brutal civil war is being waged in South Sudan, a forgotten war. People are dying, women are being systematically raped, half of the population is suffering from hunger. We cannot end the war, but we can save lives. At the moment it is a matter of saving people from starvation. For long-term prospects there needs to be stability - we are ready to switch our work quickly, when peace finally prevails," says Till Wahnbaeck, Welthungerhilfe chief executive officer, of his impressions from a visit to South Sudan.
As one of the few aid organisations present, Welthungerhilfe is continuing to distribute food in the north of the country near to Bentiu. Each month, over 213,000 internally displaced people receive urgently needed food, such as sorghum, lentils, oil and salt. Welthungerhilfe is active in two states within the country. As well as the survival assistance for people fleeing, Welthungerhilfe is also supporting smallholder farmers in areas where agriculture is still possible. They are receiving seeds and agricultural equipment, and wells are being repaired, which supply safe drinking water.
Welthungerhilfe is one of the largest private aid organisations in Germany; politically independent and non-denominational. It is fighting for ‘Zero Hunger by 2030’. Since its establishment, more than 8,500 overseas projects in 70 countries have been supported with 3.27 billion euros. Welthungerhilfe works on the basic principle of empowering people to help themselves: from rapid disaster relief to reconstruction and long-term development cooperation projects with national and international partner organisations.
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