A South Sudanese activist in Ethiopia is calling on aid organizations to come to the aid of more than 300 South Sudanese children who have been separated from their parents in Ethiopia since the outbreak of the civil war in 2013.
Chierey Tut, the Executive Director of Diaspora Community Development Organization, a civil society organization in Ethiopia told Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday they have registered 323 children aged between 6 and 17 years old in different parts of Ethiopia.
Tut, also the president of the Nuer community in Ethiopia explained that these children fled the fighting from Malakal, Bor, Juba and other parts of South Sudan. He noted that most of the children have been separated from either one or both parents and their whereabouts remain unknown.
According to the activist there are 143 children in Tharfam refugee camp, 37 in Cherkole, 31 in Jof, 46 children in Venido and 66 in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa.
Tut added that the children in Addis Ababa have dropped out of school due to the harsh economic situation, adding that his organization can only provide them with clothes due to limited funding.
He revealed that they mostly provide counseling to the traumatized children who have lost touch with their parents, adding that they hope the peace deal holds so that the children can be reunited with their families.