Save the Children, UNICEF and partners have successfully reunited 6,000 children with their families after years of separation due to conflict in South Sudan.
Achol Uchol, a mother of four was separated from her children in Upper Nile State since 2015. Three of her children’s where about was not known until Save the Children and partners finally reunited them.
Speaking during the event on the successful family tracing and reunification program, Uchol says one of her youngest children, Nyabouch Chol, was only one and half years old when they separated.
She is thankful to Save the Children and partners for bringing them together.
‘After bringing the children to me {reunifying them}, I didn’t know that I would see them again. I thank God so much and the organization that brought these children to me. If I was able, I could do anything to the organization for reunifying us. But I couldn’t do anything. But I’m so happy because what you have done to me is a lot. I will not forget for the rest of my life’ Uchal lamented.
Interim Country Director for Save the Children, Arshad Malik says it was an emotional moment for everyone involved during the reunification process.
‘First of all thank you very much for joining us today in this event which actually means a lot for us because it is one of those collaboration between UNICEFF, Save the Children, nation and international partners in South Sudan. You have heard from the families. Were emotional stories’, Malik said.
Acting Director General in the Ministry of Gender Child and Social Welfare, Mary Kojo Ali, regrets that it is a terrible situation for a mother to be separated from her children.
She hopes more children will be traced and reunited with their family.
‘Being separated from your parents is a very bad thing and we as women, we know the pain you undergo. So it is a very, very terrible situation that women undergo when it comes to situations of separation. So we as a ministry, we’re very happy that such a thing {reunification} is happening. 6000 children being reunified with their families is not a simple job. So we really hope that the many more who are still outside there, will be traced and reunified with their families’
Almost 8,000 children in South Sudan are still missing or separated and are in urgent need of family tracing.
Separated and unaccompanied children are more susceptible to violence, abuse and exploitation.