Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Khartoum (Agenzia Fides) - After decades of conflict, natural disasters and unstable governments, on July 9, 2011 Southern Sudan officially becomes an independent state. The inhabitants of this new African country are still facing a serious shortage of infrastructure and basic services such as high rates of poverty and underdevelopment. Currently one third of children are underweight, over a third does not exceed 5 years of age, half of the population lives in extreme poverty and literacy rates are below 36%. A young girl in South Sudan is more likely to die in childbirth than finish her primary education. Representatives of Caritas will work together with the local Catholic Church for a joint program of the value of € 5.7 million, until July 2012. The work will focus on the repair and rehabilitation of water facilities, hygiene, health and education, as well as on providing homes, food and service of a different kind. Caritas will take care of those who return to their homes, IDPs and other vulnerable people.
All work will be done with the full participation of the entire community, because the projects will be entrusted to the local population that will have to maintain and manage them in the future. The representative of Catholic Relief Services in Sudan, Darren Hercyk, who is part of Caritas coordinators, in a recent statement, a copy of which was received by Fides, said that "the people of southern Sudan have a historic opportunity to put behind their backs years of conflict. Caritas worked for years in close contact with them and hope for the future of their country. The organization will continue to support the Catholic Church in South Sudan. We will join to give birth to a country where access to basic necessities like drinking water, health, education are assured".
Moreover, to reduce the impact of future disasters, Caritas will support the development of an early warning system through the Sudan Catholic Radio Network (SCRN). The program of Caritas also plans to increase cooperation with local and national partners. This will include training of staff in the national and diocesan offices of Caritas Sudan, known as "Sudan Aid", concerning the distribution of programs and reduction of natural disasters. The members of Caritas International committed in South Sudan will continue the partnership with the local diocesan offices. Caritas is also supporting efforts to promote the peace of the Sudanese Bishops, as a prayer campaign for an international initiative to plant trees in each diocese of South Sudan. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 06/13/2011)
