Anataban Art Initiative and Skills Aid Organization’s “Blanket for Peace” have launched ‘Junubi le Junubi’, a campaign geared toward soliciting resources to rescue thousands of miserable citizens hard-hit by the negative impact of devastating floods across South Sudan.
The campaign, which was rolled out Wednesday last week, teases citizens to exhibit a sense of solidarity through charitable contributions to help families who are bearing the brunt of the natural disaster characterized by violent storms.
During the official launch of the campaign last week, the two organizations emphasized the need to engage relevant stakeholders such as the government, international and national humanitarian NGOs, as well as citizens with the urge to support the initiative.
Addressing the press conference on Wednesday,Rebecca Nyamal Nyang, Executive Director of Skills Aid Organization challenged the citizens to join hands and tackle the flood-induced crisis bedeviling their fellows across the country.
“Junubi Le Junubi aims at consolidating necessary action and help from all stakeholders to reach out to the floods-affected areas and salvage the situation that continues to worsen,” she said.
The organizations say the decision to establish the initiative was arrived at after thorough deliberations on a convenient approach to tackle bailout the flood victims.
Nyamal said they would provide drop off points for kind as well as cash deposits together with partners such as the South Sudan Council of Churches.
“We will be having the affiliate churches of the council as drop off points,” she says. “We are also in the process of unveiling our mobile money and bank deposit options.”
The organizations also lined up a fundraising concert slated for the 27th of this month at the Nyakuron Cultural Center.
The event focuses on raising donations and creating awareness to the general public on the status of the floods ravaging the country.
“Anataban assessed Bor, collecting stories of the affected victims that will be shared via art and photography. This is aimed at sensitizing the public on a day to day issues the victims go through,” Nyamal explained.
For almost five months of running, floods displaced over 700,000 people leaving them without shelter, food, water, and medication.
According to Duot Deng, Ajang Anataban Arts Initiative’s Coordinator stressed that most flood-affected areas visited by her campaign group were frequented by NGOs, who only carried out surveys but lurked on aid delivery.
“Based on our survey, we got reports from the people on the ground who are living without necessities like medication and food,” Deng said about information obtained from Chief Manyuon Ngor in Malual Aqorbar.
“Organizations and institutions have been coming to do surveys but none of them have come back with aid” he added. “And these are the stories that we got from people on the ground although these people are living in a poor condition.”