Changing Lives through the local church
South Sudan
Overview
Years of war, drought, and famine has left a permanent mark on South Sudan and its people.
- Over 80% of the population lives on less than $1 a day.
- In 2017, 60% of the population was severely food insecure and many children were on the verge of death from starvation.
But where suffering is, God is already there working, ready to pour out his love. For decades, Tearfund Canada has been on the front lines of serving the most vulnerable in South Sudan. Although progress has been made, there is still a long way to go.
Quick Facts
Our Projects
Over the last 4 years, Tearfund has provided thousands of individuals and children with life-saving emergency food. Now, as the immediate threat of starvation subsides, our focus is turning to long-term sustainable development – teaching families how to grow more food to be able to feed their families. But that’s not all. One of the sobering statistics that came out of our work has been that 72% of women over the age of 12 have been sexually assaulted – often used as a weapon of war. Tearfund is working with local churches to help heal the deep wounds that have been created.
Hope in the Midst of Violence
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Problem
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Challenges
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Activities
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Details
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Outcome
Problem
In the midst of many problems in South Sudan lies a deep hidden suffering: Gender-Based Violence. It is rampant and often used as a weapon of war. The majority of girls and women aged 12 or older are victims of Gender-based violence and experience deep emotional, social, physical, and spiritual scars.
Challenges
Efforts to provide trauma healing for survivors have been few and far in between. There is a general lack of understanding on the issue in South Sudan – particularly within the church.
Activities
Building off progress made by prior projects, your support is funding awareness training for Church Pastors and leaders on their role in trauma healing and the identification of at least 120 community members to become trauma healing facilitators. These facilitators usually are survivors of sexual violence themselves. Church-based healing groups will then be organized and run to offer support and healing to survivors – helping to heal the deep wounds caused by the trauma.
Project Details
- Location: Aweil East
- Timeframe: March 2020 – Feb 2021
- Total Budget: $46,430
Outcome
Churches will begin to tackle the huge problem of sexual violence in their communities. Women will come to understand how Jesus sees them – as a beautiful daughter of God. Through training, support, and counselling, healing of wounds will slowly start taking place.
Stories of Transformation
A Burden Lifted
After her husband was shot and disabled in South Sudan’s civil war, Adut had to find a way to provide for her family. She bagan making and selling charcoal, but the money wasn’t enough. When all hope seemed lost, she was enrolled in Tearfund’s food assistance program. “I felt like a huge burden was lifted off my chest.”
Food Vouchers Saved My Family
Alok daily begged in South Sudan’s Warawar market, looking for anything to feed her family – including her blind husband. As famine hit South Sudan in 2017, she was confident they would die. But then new hope was found when they received food vouchers by Tearfund’s local church partner. “The food vouchers saved our lives.”
Partners
