South Sudan: eating grass to survive - Humanity House
9 July 2014

South Sudan: eating grass to survive

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Stichting Vluchteling (Netherlands Foundation for Refugees)

Worldwide, there are over 50 million people fleeing from war, violence and oppression. Stichting Vluchteling, as emergency aid agency, offers help to refugees and uprooted people all over the world. In critical situations, Stichting Vluchteling sees to direct aid, such as shelter, medical care, relief goods, food, clean drinking water and sanitary provisions.

Five-month-old babies who have barely gained weight since their birth. People who eat water lilies, plant roots and grass to survive. This is the reality of the crisis in South Sudan. Stichting Vluchteling (Netherlands Foundation for Refugees) has begun a campagne to help the South Sudanese.

The conflict between various ethnic groups in South Sudan comes at a particularly bad time. Due to persisting rain, crops were washed away this spring. The UN warns that 7 million people are facing serious food shortages.  A third of the population of 12 million in this brand-new country already needs acute food aid in order to survive.

Meanwhile, due to the ongoing violence in South Sudan, one million people have taken flight. The pressure on food provisions is unsustainable in some areas, tells Peter Kuarbang from the village Ganyiel, where many refugees are stranded. “People are eating water lilies, plant roots and grass to survive.”

Also in the bordertown of Bentiu, where many refugees live, there are great shortages of food. “I am struggling to feed my children and to keep them healthy”, tells the refugee Nyabuath Machar. So far, fate has not yet struck her or her children. But others, especially young babies, do not survive. Through a shortage of food, they weaken so much that they get sick and die.

Stichting Vluchteling offers help in South Sudan and in neighbouring countries where South Sudanese refugees are taken in.

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