Posts Tagged ‘Sudan’
How is World Relief Helping Refugees in Chad?
We cannot let them go hungry during their Eid. We cannot see them crying when it is supposed to be a celebration of triumph.
Did you know, the country of Chad hosts the second-highest number of refugees per capita in Africa? It’s one of the reasons we opened a new office in Chad earlier this year. And yet, we couldn’t have foreseen that the recent conflict in Sudan would push more than 179,000 new refugees into Chad. We have been placed for such a time as this.
Prior to this conflict, Chad had already welcomed nearly 600,000 refugees including individuals from Sudan, the Central African Republic, Niger and Cameroon. As one of the poorest nations in the world, Chad does not have the resources to handle the mass influx of refugees from Sudan.
An urgent humanitarian crisis is rapidly unfolding at the Chadian border. Like you, our hearts are broken and we’re ready to respond. Today, we’re sharing an update on the evolving crisis and how you can help refugees in Chad.
Who are the refugees arriving in Chad?
The current influx of refugees are from Sudan, specifically West and Central Darfur. Most of those arriving are women and children as it is almost impossible for men from certain tribes in West and Central Darfur to make the journey due to the targeting of males from different tribes.
What makes this situation especially unique is that World Relief has a personal connection to many of the refugees entering Chad. These are families and individuals that we’ve served through our office in Sudan. Our teams have known these people for a long time and have built relationships with them. They have walked alongside and witnessed their Darfurian brothers and sisters regrow decimated communities and rebuild livelihoods. The response to this current crisis is deeply personal as much as it is professional.
Many refugees arriving in Chad are doing so without food, water, shelter and other protection measures. Many will face hunger, thirst, exploitation or even death. There is an immediate and urgent need to respond in order to save the lives of the people who are facing some of the most dire circumstances imaginable.
Tragedy During the Holiday Season
To make things even more challenging, many Sudanese people find themselves away from home, in a foreign land, during the coming Eid-al-Adha — one of the most significant holidays celebrated in Islam.
The word Eid, which means “feast or festival” is used to refer to two major holidays. For our Muslim brothers and sisters, Eid al-Adha, or the “Feast of Sacrifice,” falls on June 28th this year. The holiday honors Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to God’s command and is a time when many Muslims give generously to help those in need. Today, they should be celebrating with family, friends, neighbors and relatives. Instead, they have been displaced in a foreign land.
Despite religious differences, as Christians, we are commanded to take care of our fellow human beings. As Matthew 25:40 says (NIV), “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
We pray for our brothers and sisters who are experiencing life’s most heartbreaking circumstances. May they feel seen, heard and protected during the Eid and throughout their journey in refugee camps.
How You Can Help Refugees in Chad
An emergency response team composed of World Relief staff from around the world arrived in Chad on June 12, 2023 to support World Relief’s Chad office in a cross-border refugee response. There are reports of mass casualties and bodies waiting to be buried along the border. A horrific and heartbreaking scene.
Crisis response is a tangible way for us to extend the love of Christ to those who are suffering in their greatest time of need. We cannot control when a crisis strikes. But when it does, God calls you and me to respond with compassion – wherever and whenever help is needed most.
We invite you to join us in prayer and by giving to our response effort in Sudan and Chad. World Relief is aiming to raise $400,000 for this response. One hundred percent of funds raised will be used for direct aid for vulnerable families impacted by this crisis.
With your help:
- $10 can provide water for a family
- $20 can provide clothes for a child
- $30 can provide meals for a family for a day
- $75 can provide blankets and a solar lamp
Your generosity will go directly to teams on the ground in Chad to provide a safe haven for Sudanese refugees with access to food, clean water, basic necessities and temporary shelter. It will also help families pay for burial expenses for the loved ones they’ve lost.
For nearly 80 years, World Relief has been responding to crises and disasters, providing emergency relief and building resilience where and when it’s needed most. It is our desire and hope to see a world free from suffering and injustice.
Carrell Cataya Magno is Protection Program Manager at World Relief Sudan.
Carrell has nearly 20 years of experience working in complex humanitarian environments. She has background in general protection, human rights, violence prevention, community empowerment and coordination of humanitarian response. Prior to joining World Relief, she worked with Nonviolent Peaceforce in South Sudan for more than six years. She also worked with a number of NGOs in the Mindanao region of the Philippines, and she has extensive experience working in remote locations. Carrell has demonstrated success in negotiating with armed actors at the local level for access for humanitarian workers (both her own team and others) and protection of civilians’ rights. Carrell holds a Bachelor of Arts in Community Development from the University of the Philippines and a diploma in Sustainable Development Studies from Mindanao State University.
What’s Happening in Sudan?
By now, we know you’ve seen the news coming out of Sudan. On Saturday, April 15, heavy fighting broke out between two military forces under the command of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (SAF) and General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo (RSF), also known as General Hemeti.
While the fighting started in Khartoum, Sudan’s capital city, it has since spread throughout the country causing food, fuel and water shortages in some areas.
Here’s What’s Happening Now
As we’re writing, at least 512 deaths and more than 4,200 injuries have been reported. These numbers are growing daily.
We’re grateful to report that all of our in-country staff are safe and accounted for. They are sheltering in place and checking in on one another while they wait for the fighting to subside.
At this time, humanitarian activities have been paused to keep staff from World Relief and other NGOs safe. USAID has set up a rapid response team in Nairobi to assess the situation and provide emergency aid to people fleeing into the neighboring countries of Chad and South Sudan.
As you might recall, World Relief recently opened its newest office in Chad. The location of our office there puts us in close proximity to Sudanese refugees who are fleeing. At this time, we do not know if a response in Chad will be possible, but our teams are monitoring the situation and staying open to needs as they arise.
Why is This Happening?
This current conflict can be traced back to April 2019 when Sudanese protestors peacefully took to the streets and removed former President Omar al-Bashir. Following the coup, a military-led council took power, prompting another series of protests which have continued into the present day. We shared more about this in a previous post about some of our world’s most neglected crises.
While the latest conflict is most certainly a setback for Sudan, we remain hopeful and committed to long-term development in Sudan and have a long history of working alongside local partners there. Josh Meares, World Relief Sudan Country Director said:
“We do not know what the future holds for Sudan… It is a nation that deserves better than this, and we have a great staff there who are capable of leading the country into a better future if given the chance. We will continue to stand together with and for the most vulnerable.”
Why Does This Matter to Me and World Relief?
Sudan has long been a crossroads between the Middle East and Africa. Though rich in cultures and resources, decades of colonization, civil conflict and climate disasters have made Sudan one of the most vulnerable countries on earth.
Prior to this most recent conflict, 3 million people were already living as internally displaced in Sudan, and 15 million were at risk of acute food insecurity. The return to conflict is likely to exacerbate an already difficult situation for people experiencing the greatest vulnerability.
World Relief has been on the ground in Sudan, working to address these problems since 2004. Outside the U.S., Sudan is our largest country of operation with more than 345 staff who are committed to building flourishing communities and moving lasting change forward.
In 2022 alone, the team reached more than 533,000 men, women and children in Sudan with life-transforming resources, training and care.
It Matters in the U.S., Too
Not only does World Relief work in Sudan, but we have a rich history of welcoming refugees from Sudan to communities across the United States.
You may remember reading about people like Darelsalam who came to the U.S. when she was 14 years old, or Ibrahim who arrived in North Carolina after being separated from his family for 10 years.
Over the years, World Relief has welcomed more than 2,000 Sudanese refugees to the U.S. — this number includes people from both Sudan and South Sudan, which gained independence in 2011 — and we currently have many Sudanese staff who work across our U.S. offices.
Much like the conflict in Ukraine, our connections in Sudan stretch across oceans, reminding us that the lives we live and the challenges we face are deeply connected and inextricably linked. We are grateful for the ways you have joined us in praying for Sudan and ask you to continue praying in the midst of a situation that is changing daily.
Rachel Clair is a Content Manager at World Relief. Alongside an amazing team of marketing colleagues, she manages the curation and creation of written and multi-media content for World Relief’s global platforms. With more than 10 years of experience creating content for churches and non-profits, she is passionate about developing content that challenges both individuals and communities to lean into all of whom God created them to be. She holds a BFA from Stephens College and is currently participating in a spiritual formation cohort through the Transforming Center in Wheaton, IL.
Your Family is Coming: The Long Road to Reunion for Refugees
Everyday, people like Ibrahim make the painful decision to leave their homes due to persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations and climate-related factors. Their journeys are often marked by loss, separation and worry for those left behind.
For ten years, Ibrahim carried the weight of being separated from his family. This is his story of enduring hope.
An Impossible Decision
Ibrahim was born and raised in the Darfur region of western Sudan. He worked a variety of jobs — housekeeping, construction, office administration — in order to provide for his family. He was married with three children and a fourth on the way.
While Ibrahim loved his home and community, civil conflict left him feeling uneasy and concerned for his family’s safety.
For decades, Darfur has been embroiled in conflict fueled by ethnic disputes and limited resources. In 2003, a rebel group launched an insurrection in Darfur, protesting what they believed was the Sudanese government’s disregard for non-Arab ethnic groups in the region. In response, the government armed ethnically Arab militias to combat rebels in Darfur.
Despite international attempts at peacebuilding and intervention, the conflict worsened. Militias threatened the lives and livelihoods of non-Arab civilians, burned down thousands of villages, committed sexual violence and blocked aid organizations from delivering much-needed food and medical supplies.
In 2013, as a renewed wave of violence gripped the region, Ibrahim made the heart-wrenching decision to flee Sudan, leaving behind his wife and children, in hopes of finding help.
“There was too much killing, too much fighting,” he said. “It was impossible to live.”
Seeking Safety
Ibrahim arrived in Jordan, where he had heard help was available. He registered with the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), meticulously completing his paperwork.
“I always wrote my kids’ names as my family on all the papers — all the dates of birth and everything,” Ibrahim said. He wanted to make sure records of his wife and children, still in Sudan, were included in his case so that they too would be resettled in a new country with him.
Ibrahim found work, sent money home to his family and waited.
Two years went by until one day, Ibrahim learned that his case had been approved for resettlement in the U.S. He passed all required security and health screenings, but because his family was still in Sudan, they were unable to travel with him.
With help from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Ibrahim flew to the U.S. in 2016, where World Relief Triad welcomed him to North Carolina.
Ibrahim remembers feeling like he had escaped death.
“When I arrived, I was so grateful for World Relief because they helped me with everything,” Ibrahim said. “They helped me with a place to stay. They were able to find work for me, and they helped until I felt that I could do things for myself.”
And yet, as Ibrahim rebuilt his life in the U.S., he never stopped thinking of his wife and children, still stuck in Sudan. They frequently spoke over the phone — and Ibrahim continued to hope.
“I couldn’t really rest or enjoy all the blessings I had because I kept on thinking about them all the time,” Ibrahim said. “I never felt complete.”
Hoping and Waiting
Now in the U.S., Ibrahim continued working with IOM in the hopes of bringing his family to North Carolina. He was persistent, calling for updates whenever he could.
With IOM’s help, he was eventually able to secure interviews for his wife at the U.S. embassy in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan. Still, the process crept forward slowly.
Then, in 2019, just when everything finally looked ready to move forward, Ibrahim encountered another obstacle — the president of the United States announced a new executive order banning Sudanese people from traveling to the U.S., Ibrahim’s family included.
Ibrahim remembers being told, “Everything is correct, all the papers are the way they’re supposed to be. There’s just some rules that they’re not allowing people.”
He began to doubt whether he would ever see his wife and children again. “I almost lost hope,” he said.
But then, in 2021, he got a call. A new U.S. presidential administration had reversed the executive order. Over the phone, he heard the long hoped-for words: “Your family is coming.”
Ten years after Ibrahim had to leave his family behind in search of safety, after years of hoping and waiting, they would be reunited at last.
Reunited
In February 2022, Ibrahim gathered with staff and volunteers from World Relief Triad at the airport to welcome his wife and four children to North Carolina.
“I broke down in tears because I hadn’t seen them in 10 years, and now they’re here, and it’s real,” Ibrahim said.
“The little one that I left was only three months; when he came, he was 10 years old. I cannot describe how I felt because I never thought — I was at the point of thinking maybe I will never see them again.”
Now, with his family finally together again, Ibrahim has new hopes.
“My hopes are for my kids,” he said. “For them to get the right education, for them to be able to be good people. I want them to make something for themselves and make me proud… for them to benefit themselves and our new country — the United States.”
Remembering Those Left Behind
Even as Ibrahim and his family continue building their new life together in the U.S., Darfur and the family, friends and neighbors they had to leave behind are never far from his mind.
“People are really suffering there. They don’t have food, they don’t have water, they live in very unsafe, unhealthy conditions,” he said.
The UN estimates 2.5 million people are living in displacement camps across Darfur, and 6.2 million people will need humanitarian assistance in the region within the next year. The same factors — war, violence and persecution — that drove Ibrahim and his family from their home are still impacting people in Sudan today.
At World Relief, we recognize that addressing the drivers of mass displacement requires a multi-faceted and holistic response. In Sudan, World Relief is on the ground providing humanitarian assistance and investing in development and peacebuilding efforts to address the underlying factors contributing to conflict and displacement.
Building a just world means coming alongside families like Ibrahim’s once they’ve reached the U.S. and it means finding lasting solutions to the problems that force families to flee in the first place.
For Ibrahim, his hope for safety and brighter futures for those still in Darfur endures — “I really would like for them to… have a better life for themselves and for their kids.”
Together, we are taking action, hoping and praying for lasting solutions for displaced and separated families like Ibrahim’s both in the U.S. and in countries around the world.
Across the U.S., local World Relief offices rely on partners and volunteers like you to help build welcoming communities. Join them on the path to hope, transformation and lasting change alongside refugees and immigrants like Ibrahim.
Kelly Hill serves as a Content Writer at World Relief. She previously served as Volunteer Services Manager at World Relief Triad in North Carolina before moving to Salt Lake City. With a background in International and Intercultural Communication, she is passionate about the power of story to connect people of diverse experiences.
Abby Ray has been serving as the Communications & Advocacy Coordinator at World Relief’s Triad office since September 2021. She works to amplify the voices of clients, staff and community members by empowering them to share their own stories.
Crisis in Sudan: Responding to Violence and Empowering Women
Civil Unrest in Geneina
On January 16, 2021, civil unrest was reported in the Geneina area in West Darfur as a result of violence between Masalit and Arab tribesmen — groups that have had a long history of conflict over land and water resources. Tensions have continued to grow in the days since this recent bout of violence, resulting in:
- About 183,000 displaced people in the Darfur region, with an additional 3,500 who crossed the border into Chad*
- At least 470 deaths and 300 injuries
- An estimated 149,000 displaced people in West Darfur alone*
In crises such as these, women and girls are especially vulnerable. While women and girls in Sudan already face challenges due to their gender, these challenges become more pronounced when they are living in displacement camps as a result of violence in their communities.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) states that “sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), including domestic violence and alcohol abuse, increases in such circumstances. Women and girls may be attacked as they look for firewood or water outside the camp”, and “As financial resources are depleted, adolescent girls are married off at increasingly younger ages”.
A Trusted Partner
Over the last several years, World Relief Sudan has become a trusted agency among the Sudanese people, other NGOs and the Sudanese government. This trust enabled our team to quickly respond to the latest humanitarian crisis in partnership with UN agencies and other INGOs.
World Relief Sudan was recently awarded $900,000 in emergency funds from the Sudan Humanitarian Fund (through the UNDP) to provide immediate humanitarian assistance.
Our emergency response thus far has included provision of potable water and emergency latrines, hygiene promotion training, mobile health services for pregnant women and children under five and distribution of basic non-food items for 39,000 internally displaced persons.
Unique Challenges for Women
World Relief Sudan is well aware of the specific challenges which women and girls face in such environments and is taking measures to prevent violence, protect vulnerable beneficiaries and support the agency and voices of women in their communities.
Among the many projects to provide for the immediate needs of displaced people, the emergency response team is working to ensure that all people in displacement camps have a clean water source less than 1km from their temporary dwelling.
These water points are fenced, to reduce the possibility of violence around these areas, as violence towards women is common when women travel outside of their villages to collect water. By reducing the distance to water points and fencing them in, women are at far lower risk of being attacked.
In addition, WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) committees are being formed — and are composed of at least 40% women — to monitor the use and maintenance of said water points.
WASH committees are important because they ensure regular maintenance and orderly use of the access points. When women are on these committees, they can better emphasize the protection of women and children at water access points.
What’s more, because these committees are made up of local residents, they will continue in their work long after World Relief has left the area.
Challenging for Change
As the conflict in West Darfur continues, women, girls, men and boys are all receiving effective emergency services from World Relief Sudan to mitigate their present challenges.
These services are provided with special emphasis on gender protection and representation, challenging communities to change the way they engage with one another, and empowering women to take leadership roles in their communities.
*Update: As of May 12, 2021, the number of people displaced by the current conflict has increased:
- 151,400 IDPs in Geneina (West Darfur) from Jan-April 2021
- 65,000 newly displaced IDPs in April alone
- Total of 237,000 people displaced by conflict in the Darfur region in the first 4 months of 2021 – which is more than 4 times those displaced by conflict in all of 2020.
Lydia Dawson serves as World Relief’s Humanitarian and Disaster Response Unit Program Officer in Sudan, and in disaster response worldwide. Prior to joining World Relief, Lydia worked in homeless services and community development in Oregon and California. She is passionate about equity and honor for underrepresented groups, both locally and internationally.
3 Neglected Global Humanitarian Crises
World Humanitarian Day
Every year on August 19, we celebrate World Humanitarian Day — a day that commemorates humanitarian workers who, despite all odds, continue to provide life-saving support and protection to those most in need.
Around the world, people suffer daily from extreme poverty, violence, famine, displacement and much more. At World Relief, we seek to serve the most vulnerable in these situations, confronting these complex humanitarian crises with innovative and sustainable programs.
Providing life-saving assistance during an emergency is just one way we get to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Today, we want to share with you some of the lesser-known crises going on in the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Sudan where our staff are faithfully working to assist those most in need.
Food Security in the Democratic Republic of Congo
The Global Food Security Index has been ranking countries’ levels of food security since 2012, measured by affordability, availability, quality and safety in access to food. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has consistently ranked in the bottom four, with one in six residents facing hunger every day. In 2019, the DRC ranked #4, only preceded by Yemen, Burundi and Venezuela.
In Yemen, civil war is causing people to go hungry, in Burundi conflict over land resources is one source fueling the country’s perpetual poverty, and in Venezuela, political upheaval has caused massive countrywide inflation affecting the food prices. Yet these countries have not continuously ranked so low on the index the way DRC has. So, why is rampant hunger such an issue in DRC?
Armed groups hiding in the dense tropical forests provide one answer. They wreak havoc on local civilians. Congolese farmers are prevented from accessing their fields; whole villages are raided and sometimes burnt to the ground; gender-based violence has become the social norm, and mass internal displacement has disrupted food supply chains. What’s more, unceasing waves of Ebola outbreaks coupled with measles and now a COVID-19 pandemic has only added to the food security crisis.
Education in South Sudan
For Africa’s youngest nation, civil conflict broke out shortly after South Sudan gained independence in 2011, pitting ethnic groups and political parties against one another. As is often the case, children silently suffer the brunt of conflict. Yet sadly, education is often the most neglected sector in government and humanitarian response in South Sudan.
Prior to COVID-19, UNICEF estimated that 72% of South Sudan’s primary-aged children did not attend school, representing the world’s highest proportion of out-of-school children of any country. UNESCO put this number at 2.2 million children, with at least one in three school buildings non-operational due to war destruction, closure or being occupied by internally displaced persons or military groups.
When COVID-19 hit, the South Sudanese government closed down schools, much like other governments around the world. However, the lack of access to education has far more drastic and lasting effects in South Sudan.
The risk of physical and sexual violence increases as does child labor, sex trafficking, childhood marriage and army conscription. Food scarcity also increases as children lose access to school-provided meals, perpetuating the cycles of poverty and conflict and preventing this vulnerable new country from flourishing.
Political Unrest and Economic Insecurity in Sudan
In April 2019, Sudanese protestors peacefully took to the streets and removed former President Omar al-Bashir. Following the coup, a military-led council took power, prompting another series of protests which continue today. These protests aim to decrease inflation, implement greater civilian rule and reform laws that currently restrict freedoms.
Thus far, much progress has been made: alcohol consumption is allowed for non-Muslims, women can travel with their children without first obtaining the consent of a male guardian, female genital mutilation has been banned, and the crime of apostasy (a person’s conversion from Islam to another religion) has been abolished. Though these reforms signify positive change toward a more inclusive, democratic society, there is still much work to do.
Security forces have responded violently to some protesters, often resulting in death. Additionally, the economic problems at the root of the protests have made life difficult for the average citizen. Increased inflation rates often make it impossible to afford fuel and food, and widespread food insecurity has only been made worse by the presence of COVID-19.
US sanctions and a host of other factors have only exacerbated these economic issues. Sudan is on the U.S. Government’s list of State Sponsored Terrorism, a list that makes it difficult for Sudan to receive aid from international financial institutions, among other limitations. UN Attorney General Antonio Gutierrez has vigorously appealed for Sudan to be removed from this list so that the country can be reintegrated into the global economy, but to no avail thus far.
How We’re Responding
Though these situations can seem intractable, we believe the love of God and the work of His people can bring about lasting change in each of these countries. At World Relief we’re adapting to these constantly changing circumstances and finding innovative ways to serve our beneficiaries through humanitarian assistance and life-saving interventions.
In DRC, 3,500 farmers receive direct assistance in improved agricultural techniques, helping alleviate hunger for 164,000 individuals across three highly food insecure provinces.
In South Sudan, 50,000 students are educated through World Relief supported schools. Recently, one primary school in the Bentiu camp for Internally Displaced Persons ranked #1 in the country for primary student exam score results. During COVID-19, we continue to employ innovative approaches by encouraging student access to national radio learning programs.
And in Sudan, we’re providing malnutrition treatment to over 34,000 children under the age of 5 and pregnant women. We’re also giving agricultural support and food distribution for over 62,000 direct beneficiaries, and we’re further addressing economic crisis and resulting food insecurity by integrating livelihoods training throughout our programming.
Please join us in prayer for our brothers and sisters all over the world who suffer from various humanitarian crises. May we all see the hand of God at work even, in our darkest moments.
Lydia Dawson serves as World Relief’s Humanitarian and Disaster Response Unit Program Officer in Sudan, and in disaster response worldwide. Prior to joining World Relief, Lydia worked in homeless services and community development in Oregon and California. She is passionate about equity and honor for underrepresented groups, both locally and internationally.
Amanda Patterson serves as World Relief’s Humanitarian and Disaster Response Unit Program Officer in DR Congo and South Sudan. Prior to joining World Relief, Amanda worked overseas as a humanitarian responder to refugee and conflict emergencies in Niger, South Sudan, Greece, and Ethiopia with a large Christian NGO. She is passionate about helping others experience the beauty and diversity of God’s creation through art, nature and cultural engagement.
Voices From the Field: Future for Women
There are more than 3.5 billion women and girls in the world today — women and girls made in the image of God. At World Relief, we envision a world where women and girls are free from violence and oppression, and have the opportunity to live up to their God-given potential.
We asked World Relief female staff working around the globe to share their perspective on women in their nation. Here, they discuss the challenges they face, the opportunities they have, the potential they carry to shape culture and society and, finally, the hope they have in advancing issues of gender justice in their respective countries.
Below is a Q&A with five female staff from World Relief in Sudan, South Sudan and DR Congo — Muraa Rose, Reproductive Health Officer; Puru Jeska Mario, Roving Finance Officer; Suad Yuasif Ibrahim Idriss, Nutrition Coordinator; Esperance Ngondo, former SGBV & HIV/AIDS Program Officer
What is the biggest challenge women face in your country?
MURAA ROSE:
The challenges are many — social, economic, emotional and domestic violence against women. Women are often neglected and disrespected in the community and even their homes. They are often excluded from important decisions, under-valued in their families and in some places even deprived of rights such as attending school.
SUAD:
Women have no power or agency. They are expected to defer to their husbands or fathers in every single decision without question. This includes how finances are spent and resources such as crops and livestock are used.
PURU:
Young women in our country face early and forced marriages. Many parents rely on daughters to bring an income home so girls are restricted from attending school. When girls don’t attend school, they are also more likely to be forced to marry early in order to fetch a bride price for their families.
ESPERANCE:
In the Congo, we live in a society which has become very violent — and where women are considered as prey. Women are the main victims of war because sexual violence is used as a weapon of war. This is likely a result of our culture, which considers women to be incompetent and restricts their rights to almost everything including inheritance, access to school and even their own bodies.
How do you see the influence of women shaping culture/society?
MURAA ROSE:
I am hopeful that we will see a power balance in workplaces as well as more equal employment opportunities for men and women. This would help to empower our women economically. I can see women playing a key role in the economic development of South Sudan. I hope one day women’s rights will be practiced nationwide, particularly in decision making, professional spheres and even politics.
SUAD:
In the past, educating both boys and girls was not a priority. But now, families are investing in both boys’ and girls’ education. Because of this, we are now beginning to see female community leaders and women supported by their families, attending school as adults and even husbands supporting their wives..
PURU:
Because of our ongoing health program, the maternal mortality rate has decreased in South Sudan. Another aspect of our health programming is education around family planning. More couples are practicing planning and having fewer children, which has resulted in more boys and girls able to attend school.
ESPERANCE:
Despite all the challenges that women are facing in our country, they are not staying silent. They are fighting to regain their rights with the support of churches, NGOs and the UN. Currently, there are many proceedings and legal processes beginning that are focused on promoting the rights of women.
How is your office empowering/providing opportunity for women?
MURAA ROSE:
We respect and honor the dignity of all women, practice equal opportunity employment regardless of gender, and we strongly encourage women to apply.
SUAD:
Our nutrition program depends on community volunteers from villages. 75% of those volunteers are female. The success of these programs significantly transforms communities as they see how successful women are in their roles. We also seek to empower mothers and other caretakers through different educational topics in order to improve health for her family.
PURU:
Our most effective way to provide opportunities empowering women is through trainings such as employment opportunities, health services and Bible studies.
ESPERANCE:
We have implemented support programs especially for women, many with the objective to reduce the instances of sexually based violence against women and promoting gender equality.
These programs include:
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SGBV & HIV Programming — medical, psychosocial and economic support to women survivors of sexual violence. The major objective is to reduce the incidence of sexual violence and HIV, and promote gender equality
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Trauma Healing
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Peace Building — Women are now members of local Village Peace Committees, chosen by community members.
Dana North serves as the Marketing Manager at World Relief. With a background in graphic design and advertising and experiences in community development and transformation, Dana seeks to use the power of words and action to help create a better world. Dana is especially passionate about seeking justice for women and girls around the world.
Refugees and Displaced People Around the World
For over 75 years, we’ve been coming alongside families displaced by violence, poverty and injustice — both in the U.S. and across the world.
Today, more than 70 million people have been displaced from their home due to war, persecution or violence. That’s one man, woman or child every 2 seconds. This global crisis is the worst its been since World War II, and continues to worsen.
But with your help, we have been able to serve thousands around the world.
Frontline Report: South Sudan
This year, we will be launching a new Perspectives series called Frontline Reports. This series is intended to provide updates on the countries, contexts, and situations in which we work as they continue to evolve. The reports will be written entirely by program experts and local staff on the ground.
So, how is South Sudan? It’s a question that I get a lot these days. From other humanitarians in different countries, from friends who caught a rare headline, from family members who just want to know what is it that I do all day when I say I am going back. It’s a question that is so much more complicated than it seems. I usually say something about security; well, there are roadblocks in Juba, but they seem to be leaving NGO cars alone, or the weather, rains are coming so we are enjoying some seasonal cool, and maybe a few lines about the peace process or a funding proposal I’ve been working on.
But, how is South Sudan, really? Let me start with a brief recent history. When the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed in 2005, allowing the southern Sudan to vote for independence, the referendum was overwhelmingly supported. South Sudan was born on July 9, 2011 with much celebration and high hopes for the world’s newest nation. Sadly, the celebration was short-lived. On December 15, 2013, gunfire rang across Juba when the former Vice President was accused of a plot to overthrow the President. Since then, violence has been ongoing in many parts of the country, with atrocities against civilians perpetrated by all parties. The war is far more complicated than an ethnic conflict or simply a struggle for power or resources. It is one with countless actors and proxies and continuously shifting alliances.
The conflict in South Sudan has devastated a country which was already severely underdeveloped after decades of war. More than 2.45 million South Sudanese have fled the country, 65% of whom are children younger than 18. Another 1.75 million are displaced internally. 6 to 7 million South Sudanese are projected to be food insecure.
World Relief’s story in South Sudan began in 1998, and some of the areas where we have worked since then are now on the front lines of the fighting in Unity State. We are working among communities who have been forced to flee into the bush countless time when fighting erupts. They have watched their towns change hands only to be retaken by the other side the next week. They have seen their farms and their livelihoods destroyed and survived on only water lilies and other native plants for weeks at a time. They have seen their health facilities and their children’s schools destroyed.
In these communities, World Relief is responding with lifesaving health and nutrition services, as well as working to restore education and livelihoods. We are also responding to the needs of those who have had to flee these communities to the internally displaced persons’ camp in Bentiu, which currently hosts over 110,000 men, women, and children.
In Bentiu camp, we are responding with the following services:
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A primary health care facility that provides treatment for malaria, respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases and other life-threatening ailments. In the last nine months, we have provided over 45,000 consultations. The facility also includes a 24-hour maternity ward, serving vulnerable mothers and their infants.
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A school which enrolled over 7,000 children this school year, over 40% of whom were girls. Our back-to-learning campaigns were so successful that we even had to enroll some children in partner schools because our registers filled so quickly!
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Two nutrition feeding sites that have treated nearly 4,000 young children and mothers for malnutrition and reached over 20,000 caretakers of young children with nutrition and feeding education in the last nine months.
Indeed these immediate interventions in Bentiu and the surrounding counties are vital in responding to the basic needs of the South Sudanese people and the needs abound.
Yet, we believe we can do more. Stability must be achieved to end the suffering, and to begin to address the underdevelopment in South Sudan. In addition to responding on the frontlines of crisis, World Relief is working to preserve peace in Ibba and Maridi Counties in Western Equatoria, where strong church leaders are standing up and say NO to conflict within their borders. There, we are working with churches of all different denominations to unite them with one another and call them back to their mandate to serve their communities not just spiritually, but also physically, economically, and socially. And they are doing it together. Congregations are caring for their sick, planting gardens for their elderly and sending their orphans to school. They are coming together to pray and host peace dialogues between armed groups before tensions escalate into violence. At World Relief, we have seen that churches have the power to sustain peace and to revitalize their communities. They will be the leaders and influencers when stability comes. And our brothers and sisters in Ibba and Maridi will be ready to teach others.
Though this work is slow and complex, we believe the impact will be transformative for thousands of vulnerable men, women and children in South Sudan.
As my team and I pray for peace, we ask you to join us in our vision for peace in South Sudan. We cannot do this without you.
Heidi Dessecker joined World Relief in 2010 and has served in both the US and International Programs. She currently serves as the Program Officer for Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Sudan. Heidi is passionate about gender issues and reaching women in some of today’s most complex crises.
Changemakers in South Sudan — Establishing a Place of Peace and Love
This month, we’re sharing stories from our work around the world. It is our hope that these stories will inspire, encourage, and enrich your lives. The following post was written by Darren Harder, Country Director for World Relief South Sudan.
“Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me;
Let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be.
With God as our Father, brothers all are we,
Let me walk with my brother, in perfect harmony.
Let peace begin with me, let this be the moment now;
With every step I take, let this be my solemn vow
To take each moment and live each moment, in peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.”
The lyrics to this beloved Christmas hymn seem to ring truer with each passing year.
Peace. Something that has too often seemed unattainable in 2016. A year that has been difficult, contentious, and violent both here in the U.S. and around the world. A year that has challenged us all as individuals, as parents, spouses, friends, colleagues, even as Christians. Now, as we draw near to the end of the year, we long for a more peaceful 2017, one filled with love and with hope for a better tomorrow.
Amidst this darkness, what better time to look to stories of incredible hope where peace can indeed triumph against the odds? Stories that encourage and inspire us. Stories that show us we can rise above our doubts. Stories like the one of the Church in war-torn South Sudan.
Though pushed from international headlines by the tragedy of Syria and the horrifying images streaming almost daily out of Aleppo, few places have more tragic histories or precarious futures than South Sudan. After decades of civil war with North Sudan, the world’s youngest country was born to great fanfare and hope in 2011. But that hope did not last long. In 2013 violence broke out, between supporters of the President and former Vice President of South Sudan. Over the last three years, ethnic-based killings have taken place on all sides, accompanied by growing demands for vengeance. According to the U.S. Institute for Peace, nearly 4 million South Sudanese face severe food insecurity, and more than 2 million have been displaced by the war.
The stories circulating in international media, paint a bleak picture of South Sudan and its immediate future. Even bleaker are the suggestions from the diplomatic community that the situation could get worse before it gets better. Despite multiple efforts to broker peace, South Sudan, like too many other places around the world, now faces impending catastrophe. Militias are mobilizing along ethnic lines, hate speech is circulating on social media, and international human rights groups are now documenting widespread human rights abuses.
And yet, against this dark canvas of suffering, fear, and forced displacement, one area stands out, determined to be a place of peace and love. This place is Ibba, a county in Western Equatoria State, where World Relief South Sudan is partnering with Church leaders, determined to become a light amidst the darkness.
In Ibba, World Relief is working in collaboration with local Churches to build homes for the elderly and the sick, run agricultural trainings to increase harvests in order to feed the hungry, and start savings groups. We are training women and young mothers in fostering peaceful family environments and in other life skills. Above all, we are focused on working together to organize spiritual activities that help build the unity of the Church, enable them to share each other’s burdens and challenges, and share in peaceful solutions.
On November 20, 2016 a joint prayer service was held at St. Charles Lwanga Catholic Parish of Ibba, which brought together more than 3,000 people from across the region for over eight hours of prayer and worship. It was the first time that four Christian denominations, namely ECSS/S, Roman Catholic Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church, and Seventh Days Adventists, have come together to worship in Ibba. Church leaders preached messages of peace, unity, and collaboration. Many announced it was the first time in their lives that they’d seen such unity, and challenged the congregation to take the message of peace home to their neighbors.
As I watched the church come together as a unified body of believers, to pray for their communities and to serve the most vulnerable, I reflected on how much we can learn from our brothers and sisters in South Sudan who are doing the hard work of peacemaking each day. Even though insecurity exists in neighboring counties, Ibba has remained calm, and I have no doubt it is due to the leadership shown by the local pastors in Ibba. I thank God for them daily and pray that they will continue to find their voice as they become beacons of light in their suffering communities.
Now and in the coming New Year, let us stand up for change. Let us join together with these peacemakers. Let us come alongside them to learn from them, to stand with them, and to give to them, so that they may increase their capacity for peace in South Sudan and beyond. Let us find peace on earth, and let it begin with you.
Four Ways You Can Make a Difference Today
Looking for something you can do today to make a difference in the world? Here’s four:
1. Write for Refugees
Last month, World Relief partnered with ONE and Save the Children to collect handwritten notes from attendees of Together 2016, the largest Christian gathering of its kind in over 20 years. Hundreds of notes were written to encourage President Obama to continue welcoming refugees to the United States. One of the notes was even personally delivered to the President! We’re continuing to collect notes to deliver to the President later this fall. Add your voice to the growing number of people standing with refugees.
Write a message to President Obama
2. Pray for South Sudan
On July 9, new violence broke out stationed in South Sudan, a country which is now on the brink of civil war. A World Relief team member in South Sudan shared his firsthand account of the unfolding situation, along with prayer requests for safety and peace in this vulnerable nation.
3. Learn About the Global Refugee Crisis
This month also saw the release of Seeking Refuge: On the Shores of the Global Refugee Crisis, co-authored by Stephan Bauman, Matthew Soerens and Issam Smeir. We’re thrilled so many people have read the book! Download a free chapter and begin learning how you can better engage the global refugee crisis.
Download a free chapter of Seeking Refuge now
4. Practice Courage and Leadership
We’re grateful for those around the world who are practicing courage and leadership, and honored to share their stories. This month on our blog, we shared about those who are welcoming refugees, delivering food to families on the front lines of war, and seeking to establish God’s kingdom in their daily lives. Hearing their stories, we’re moved to practice courage and leadership in our own spheres of influence.
Read stories of courage & leadership
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