Japanese Ambassador to South Sudan, Kiya Masahiko meets with pupils at the Nur Primary School.[Photo| Jok Mayom]
By Jok Mayom
JUBA, 30 August [Gurtong]- The Ambassador was accompanied by UNHCR Country Representative, Ahmed Warsame, and a delegation of local authorities and partner organizations.
During his field trip, Ambassador Kiya visited some of the projects funded by the government and people of Japan in Doro camp, including classrooms at the Nur primary school, a solar-power borehole and the mud-plastered transitional shelters for vulnerable refugees.
"With a zinc roof over my head, I don't have to worry anymore about the rain", says 28-year-old Susan from Sudan.
She is one of 5,000 refugees who were relocated from low-lying water-prone areas to higher ground within Doro and given a transitional shelter.
"There is more space here for my children and I feel I have now a proper home", says Susan.
The Ambassador paid a visit to Maban County Hospital, which UNHCR has equipped with an X-ray room, two operating theatres, three pediatric wards and a pharmacy over the last two years thanks to multi-donor funding, including Japan.“This hospital serves more than 200,000 people from the refugee and host communities and remains the only functioning hospital in the entirety of Upper Nile State since the start of the conflict in December 2013”.
UNHCR's second largest donor globally, Japan has contributed more than $16 million since 2014 to support UNHCR's efforts to protect and assist refugees and extend a helping hand to host communities in South Sudan.
"Japan's support has been key in improving the living conditions of tens of thousands of Sudanese refugees who have found shelter in camps in Upper Nile and Unity States as well as many South Sudanese living within and around Maban camps," says Warsame.
"We were able to build better shelters for families and ensure higher standards in health, water, sanitation and education" Warsame said.
Before returning to Juba, Japan's Ambassador had also the opportunity to meet with the refugee leaders to hear the concerns of their community.Access to higher education, health care, food and shelters remain top priorities for the refugees as do Internet connectivity for education and access to labor-saving modern farm technologies like tractors to increase agricultural production.
"Resources are limited, but we are committed to continue our support for refugees and host communities in South Sudan," says Ambassador Kiya.
"It is important that the contribution of the people of Japan reaches the neediest refugees and makes substantive improvements in their livelihoods by assisting refugees and their South Sudanese hosts” he says.
"My country wants to promote peaceful coexistence among communities and help South Sudan better cope with large numbers of refugees" he added.
In South Sudan, there are currently some 265,000 refugees. Nearly 90 per cent are from Sudan's South Kordofan and Blue Niles States and live in six camps across the northern States of Unity and Upper Nile.
The remaining 10 per cent are refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic and Ethiopia who live mostly in Central and Western Equatoria.
In coordination with the Government of South Sudan and partners, UNHCR assists and protects refugees and is also part of the multi-agency response to internally displaced South Sudanese, as lead of the Protection Cluster.
Newer articles:
- Kerry warns South Sudan leader on ceasefire - 03/09/2015 17:15
- South Sudan Moves Forward on Ceasefire, Transitional Security - 02/09/2015 13:09
- US warns South Sudan warring parties on ceasefire - 01/09/2015 16:08
- Olympic wrestlers beware, Sudan's fighting giants are coming - 01/09/2015 10:45
- South Sudan On The Brink: Failing Currency And Armed Conflict Pushes Country Closer To Famine - 01/09/2015 09:42
Older news items
- South Sudan hints at keeping Ugandan troops despite peace deal - 31/08/2015 17:00
- What new violence in South Sudan spells for the region - 31/08/2015 15:31
- South Sudan Government, Rebels Trade Blame Over Truce Violations - 31/08/2015 10:59
- South Sudan troops break ceasefire - Riek Machar - 31/08/2015 10:23
- Sudan Decries ICC Warrant as President Bashir Visits China - 31/08/2015 08:13
Latest news items (all categories):
- إلى متى ينظر الجميع إلى الفيل و يطعنون ظله..؟ - 15/05/2024 21:51
- SOUTH SUDAN - Peace negotiations in Kenya: Not everyone is convinced of the initiative - 14/05/2024 20:40
- ‘Difficult choices’: The particular vulnerability of children with disabilities in South Sudan - 14/05/2024 20:35
- Uganda in talks with China's Sinohydro over power line to South Sudan - 14/05/2024 20:31
- What South Sudan Can Learn from Neighboring Gold Producers - 14/05/2024 20:27
Random articles (all categories):
- East Africa: Is the Time Ripe for South Sudan to Join the EAC? - 28/07/2014 08:05
- Despite signing of peace agreement South Sudan’s economy continues to deteriorate - 19/06/2019 02:00
- Kerry warns South Sudan that aid won’t continue if its leaders don’t seek peace - 22/08/2016 14:45
- South Sudan: Kiir Appoints Machar's Ally as head of Leer Violence Investigation Committee - 16/04/2022 10:02
- How Sudan Battled, Defeated Rebel Movements From Libya, South Sudan - 11/06/2017 21:16
Popular articles:
- Who is the darkest person in the world, according to Guinness World Record? - 25/10/2022 02:34 - Read 35380 times
- No oil in troubled waters - 25/03/2014 15:02 - Read 21875 times
- School exam results in South Sudan show decline - 01/04/2012 17:58 - Read 20767 times
- NDSU student from South Sudan receives scholarship - In-Forum - 29/09/2012 01:44 - Read 17444 times
- With prisons full, South Sudan to introduce mobile courts to clear backlog of cases - 11/10/2012 11:29 - Read 14231 times