By Ginaba Lino
Oxfam is urgently need $15 million to scale up its operations and save lives of vulnerable children and women affected by the conflict, floods and diseases resulting to eating wild vegetables as hunger crisis escalating in Pibor.
Dr. Manenji Mangundu, Oxfam South Sudan Country Director said: “The scenes of suffering are heart-wrenching, and thousands of both young and old people are hungry and children severely malnourished
Many people are going for days without anything to eat, adding that more than 12 people died from starvation within the month of July alone.
“The situation will be aggravated by flooding that has started. Record-level flooding is forecasted for this rainy season (June- September), and likely to decimate crops and probably push approximately 3.3 million already vulnerable people to a breaking point.”
Without urgent assistance now we risk many more lives, Humanitarian assistance delayed is aid denied, donors must act now” said Dr. Manenji Mangundu.
He says, Oxfam and partners provide life-saving interventions like food, cash, clean water supplies and sanitation in South Sudan.
“As Oxfam and partners provide life-saving interventions like food, cash, clean water supplies and sanitation in South Sudan, Oxfam staff have heard harrowing stories from families who are losing their children due to hunger.”
Adau Nyok, living in the capital of Juba said she used to buy 10kg of flour for 3500 SSP ($2). Now it costs her 15,000 SSP ($9.3 USD).
“Three months ago, I used to buy 10kg of flour for 3500 SSP ($2). Now it costs me 15,000 SSP ($9.3 USD). Unfortunately, the prices keep rising and we can no longer afford it due to lack of access to cash.”
“People are starving, and when you go out to the bushes in search of food, sometimes you will get something small to eat, even wild fruits are no longer available because of the rains and that’s how we sleep at night.’’ Adau Nyok stated.
Rebecca Korok Nyarek said she lost her nephew because of hunger in South Sudan.
“I lost my nephew because of hunger. He was just 15 years old. There is no food at home. People are starving, and when you go out to the bushes in search of food, sometimes you will get something small to eat, even wild fruits are no longer available because of the rains and that’s how we sleep at night.’’
Oxfom said, Malnutrition is increasing rapidly among children in the overcrowded temporary transit camps along the Sudan-South Sudan borders, exacerbating the crisis, while aid agencies are pulling out due to lack of funding.