Turkish aid gives lifeline to orphanages in South Sudan

JUBA, South Sudan

Several orphanages in South Sudan are facing a shortage of funds amid the COVID-19 pandemic which has exacerbated the existing economic hardships.

Alajabu, 10, lives at the Divine Mercy Orphanage located in the Gurei suburb of Juba which recently received food and other aid from the Turkish Embassy.

He says the timely donations from the Turkish government has brought hope and relief as he will no longer go hungry to bed.

“I am grateful to the Turkish people for providing us with food as over the past months we have been not getting enough meals,” said Alajabu.

Erdem Mutaf, Turkey's ambassador to South Sudan, last week visited several orphanages where he donated food, toys and clothing.

The donations were made to mark Turkey's National Sovereignty and Children’s Day which falls on April 23.

'Really suffering'

John, a 15-year-old orphan who thanked the Turkish Embassy for the food donation, said they are "really suffering". He added that he would like to meet President Salva Kiir to inform him about their plight.

“We are children of South Sudan, we don’t know where our parents are apart from those who are taking care of us now,” said John.

“If I get a chance today to meet President Kiir, I would tell him to support all the orphanage centers across the country. We are really suffering, like now we are sleeping in tents and some orphans are sleeping in the streets,” he added.

John disclosed that they lack clothes and sandals, leaving some of them to walk bare feet.

More support needed

The orphanages also face shortage of medicines for treating diseases like malaria.

“We survive on donations from friends and well-wishers to take care of the children,” said Father Paulino Tipo Deng, founder of Divine Mercy Orphanage Center.

Deng said that some of the children in this center lost contact with their parents, while the caretakers of others are languishing in prisons.

He said that the donation from the Turkish embassy will help them run the orphanage, but he conceded that more support is needed to sustain the orphanage.

Helen Murshali Boro, director of non-profit organization Confident Children out of Conflict, hailed the Turkish government for supporting the orphanage.

“Now we will not be having shortage of food and non-food items,” said Boro.

She disclosed that the Turkish government has always been supporting their center with food and non-food items which helps them to take care of the children in the center.

Ambassador Mutaf said that it is very important to support the children because they are the future of the country.

“Children are our future and our hope, investing in children means investing in our future. With these thoughts in mind, I wish Children’s Day to all South Sudanese children together with their Turkish friends,” said Mutaf.

The number of orphans has risen dramatically over the last several years of conflict in South Sudan.