Relief programmes continuing in border areas despite escalating conflict

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In Renk county, Upper Nile state, impoverished communities have been struggling to cope with an influx of 20,000 returnees from Sudan who have been living in temporary camps on the outskirts of their villages. Meanwhile, families living in these camps have little food, health care, or access to water or sanitation. For the past three months, Medair's emergency response teams have been actively providing relief to thousands of returnees in Renk. We have also initiated a programme to provide support to the host community in Renk. "At the moment, working with the most vulnerable people in South Sudan often means working in insecure areas," says Caroline Boyd, Medair Country Director. "This is not something we take lightly, but at the same time we want to do everything possible to get the job done for families who urgently need our support." However, the escalating conflict in the region places these already vulnerable people at even greater risk, especially if humanitarian agencies are no longer able to work there safely. "We have to make sure that our staff are working in a safe environment," says Caroline. "We are continuing to coordinate with the local authorities and other agencies to make informed decisions that ensure our staff's safety." As South Sudan emerges as an independent nation, the population is contending with some daunting challenges, including high levels of humanitarian need. "These are complex situations, and this is a time when humanitarian organisations are most needed," concludes Caroline. "As long as security permits, Medair will continue to provide support as we have been steadily doing in South Sudan since 1995." ______________________________________________________________________________ Medair's South Sudan programme is supported by the E.C. Directorate-General for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection, the United States Agency for International Development, the Common Humanitarian Fund, the Multi-Donor Trust Fund, Swiss Solidarity, the Basic Services Fund, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the Big Give (U.K.), and private donors. South Sudan became an independent nation on 9 July 2011. Medair has been present in the region since 1991 with a continuous presence since 1995. We provide health, nutrition and WASH support to vulnerable communities and conduct emergency responses throughout all 10 states. Read more about Medair's work in South Sudan. This web update was produced with resources gathered by Medair field and headquarters staff. The views expressed herein are those solely of Medair and should not be taken, in any way, to reflect the official opinion of any other organisation.