Fundraising campaign for South Sudan’s Lol state’s fire victims kicked off Wednesday in Aweil State with food and non-food items gathered by officials and community members.

The youth leadership of the greater Northern Bahr el Ghazal initiated the campaign to assist affected families after its council members met Aweil State governor, Major Gen. Jal Malith to get approval.

At least 35 people were reported killed and more than 60 sustained injuries after four villages in Lol State’s Korok East County caught fire.

Some of the injured are being treatment at Aweil State hospital and others are at Mayen Ulem primary healthcare center.   

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday, the fundraising campaign information manager, Guot Guot Akol said the initiative seeks to support the victims of the Korok East County fire incident.

“The function is concerning contributions where the youth of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State in general sat together and came out with one plan on what to be done to this people that were affected by last Sunday’s heavy fire. We sent one delegate to go and see the situation, when he came back, he reported to us and the report was horrific and needed people to come out with emergency plans to assist these people,” said Akol.

He called for all forms of contributions to aid victims of the incident.

On his part, the Aweil State governor described the fire outbreak as a natural disaster which should not be blamed on any individual.

“The tragedy that happened is natural disaster, no people planned for it. Therefore, we are standing with the people of Lol state and started this activity to collect everything we have to provide material support to people in Maper Dut Thou,” said Malith.

Aweil State government contributed 500,000 SSP to aid fire victims.

Meanwhile, two fundraising campaign centers were set up in Aweil town.