Humanitarians are delivering “emergency survival kits” in southern Unity state in South Sudan in a bid to keep alive tens of thousands of people who fled the government’s May offensive but do not have permanent access to relief.
These particular kits have never been used before in South Sudan and are meant to meet the basic needs for humans to survive. They include water purification tablets, oral rehydration salts, nutritional biscuits for children, mosquito nets, and fishing supplies, among other items.
The first 4500 kits were delivered by helicopter a week and a half ago targeting 28,000 displaced South Sudanese civilians.
“The majority of those who have fled recent violence are children who will not survive without basic necessities like food and clean water,” said UNICEF Representative in South Sudan Jonathan Veitch in a statement. “This short-term response is crucial while we work on restoring services devastated by conflict.”
The delivery of the kits follows the displacement of over 100,000 people in southern Unity who fled a government offensive in the area. Aid workers evacuated ahead of fighting to Juba or into swamps. Many have not returned.
“Our priority is restoring services to these areas but, in the short-term, we also need a flexible, quick, and innovative way to provide support to vulnerable communities,” said Ashley Mclaughlin of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The kits were delivered by UNICEF, IOM, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
FAO deputy representative for South Sudan Karim Bah said most of the displaced people have missed the planting season this year. “This operation will provide people with a short-term capacity to survive,” the humanitarian said.
Bah added that they are taking precautions to ensure the delivery of the survival kits does not put displaced people at greater risk. Armed groups have looted humanitarian supplies throughout the course of the South Sudan Civil War, including during the latest offensive in Unity.