GAiN has been involved in Sudan since 2004, in the area of Darfur. In 2006, an opportunity opened up in Southern Sudan, in the provinces of Western Equatoria and Bahr Al Jebel.

During a 2006 assessment trip to the region, with unprecedented short notice we were unexpectedly requested, to meet the governor of W.E.S, Southern Sudan. The newly-elected governor faces the daunting task of building up his devastated country which has been in a state of war for 41 of the last 50 years. The most basic of services are missing or unreliable; water, food, permanent shelter, roads, infrastructure, and agriculture; to say nothing of addressing the deep mental and emotional wounds of the Sudanese survivors themselves, including children, most of whom have witnessed physical maiming, torturing, and killing of neighbours, friends, or family.

It is estimated that 6 out of every 10 in Southern Sudan have no access to safe drinking water. It estimates 15,000 to 20,000 water wells will be needed in the next few years. The governor committed his assistance to GAiN, in order for us to continue offering short term relief and long-term development, to help build up a new area of Sudan and restore that which is most needed-hope.

We are partnering with a relief organization with much experience in Southern Sudan, to combine our strengths in feeding people and drilling water wells. In addition to the long-standing civil conflict, drought is a constant problem, fueling violent clashes between farmers and nomadic cattle ranchers, each vying for water and livelihood to support their families. This region has also experienced floodings during the rainy season & created a great shortage of food. We are shipping containers of food aid to help the people here. Can you partner with us as we enter into this new work in Southern Sudan, to provide fresh, clean water to begin to change lives and restore hope?

September 2007 Update

A.L.E.R.T.

During a GAiN trip to Southern Sudan in May, Canadian staff was privileged to hear personally from people whose lives have been touched by God’s love. We and our in-country partners have been trying to demonstrate this love to them through drilling water wells and providing food for distribution to needy families in seven villages in Mundri County. An ALERT team also took part in this trip, conducting training seminars for trauma counseling as part of our commitment to holistic restoration in this war-devastated region. Each of the seminar participants has suffered through the trauma of war along with the people they’re trying to serve, and their measure of personal healing so far is encouraging, and their desire to reach out beyond themselves to help others is awe-inspiring.

Water

In addition, together with our in-country partners, 8 water wells have been drilled to date and are giving life-transforming, pure water to up to 8,000 needy people! Here is what these grateful people are telling our staff:

Abobo village, near M’Bara, near a school, (water well serves 579 people)

The difference that having a water well has made is that we are now very happy, because we don’t have to travel 12 miles to get water, which is also bad water. We had to travel this distance twice a day. It was open to both people and animals, and they were getting sick from drinking that water. Bringing water here has been an answer to their cries, because for a long time they were suffering from drinking bad water and not being able to bathe for up to 10 days, and neither did children have any access to water while being at school all day. Thank-you very much for your help.

Korogbo village, (water well serves 786 people)

Before, we were suffering a lot in this area because of the water. We used to get water at a river 6 – 8 miles away. The water in the river is also contaminated water, and so we are happy to have this new well. Now we can live healthy lives, free of the diseases that we can catch from the river water. Now that the women don’t have to travel that long distance to get water, they have more time to be able to care for their families and tend to their crops. They’ll have more strength and energy to tend the crops, and possibly have enough crops to sell, as well as to feed their families. People are dying from sickness and a lack of medicines. If we can even bring them adequate food, it will help. Thank-you very much for coming to give this water to us. May God bless you more so that you can help more people, as well! Please join us as we continue to offer food, water, and hope to Sudanese trying to forge their lives ahead in this war-devastated country.

March 2008 Update

2 containers of dried soy/rice casserole have recently been delivered to our in-country partners in Southern Sudan. They distributed the contents of one of these containers to people in Mundri County, including malnourished children under five years old, breast-feeding mothers, the disabled, the elderly, and people displaced from their homes due to flooding. Rations were also given to local churches for distribution through them. Over 3200 people received rations to last nearly 2 months. They were excited to receive this food, and kept thanking our in-country partners and GAIN for the food distributions and are praying for more!

In addition, to date, 13 water wells have been drilled and are giving life-transforming, pure water to up to 13 000 needy people!

Do you have questions or want to give a gift for this project? Contact us at 1.877.462.GAIN or 604.514.2026 or by email at gain@globalaid.net to ask questions or click the below link to give today.

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