UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER
OLS Southern Sudan Weekly Update: 10/29/96

OLS Southern Sudan Weekly Update: 10/29/96

OLS SOUTHERN SECTOR

UPDATE 96/43,

29 October 1996

A weekly report on major developments concerning relief operations in southern Sudan

Relief assistance continues in Pochalla... Displaced kits, donated by World Vision International, have been distributed to flood- affected families in the Pochalla area since flight clearance to the area was received in October. On 26 October, a UNICEF project officer reported: "In Nyam village, people were using the mosquito nets, keeping water in the blue container,... catching fish with the hook and lines.... I also saw children cooking fish in the World Vision sufurias (cooking pots)... There was much celebration in the village." Pochalla has been an area of concern since heavy flooding in June/July 1996 destroyed crops and left some 18,500 people without homes.

Flights to Akobo stopped, OLS staff relocated... Flights to Akobo were suspended on 23 October when OLS authorities in Lokichokio received a letter warning that Akobo is a contested area, and that any plane landing in the town would be shot down. Following discussion with counterparts in Lokichokio, the WFP Security Officer flew to Akobo and relocated seven relief staff. OLS NGOs have been operating in the area since 13 October after a precautionary absence of over one month due to insecurity. OLS operations include medical training and outreach programmes, immunization campaigns, community based health care, veterinary programmes, and support to the local hospital.

Measles interventions continue... Work continues in the Witchok/Leek areas to treat measles cases and vaccinate against the further spread of the outbreak. An initial assessment of the outbreak identified 164 reported cases and 109 resultant deaths in Jagai, Jikany, Leek and South Bul, while three new cases have recently been reported in Duar. RASS, UNICEF and OLS NGOs Medecins sans Frontieres-Holland, Medecins du Monde, HealthNet International, and COSV are currently working to treat existing cases and vaccinate children against the disease.

SRRA county secretaries meeting begins... A six-week course hosted by UNICEF for SRRA county secretaries began on 28 October in New Cush and will focus on management and administration. This is the second major training course for county secretaries following the DELT (Development Education Leadership Training) course held earlier in the year.

OLS assessment update... Representatives from the OLS assessment teams, WFP, and UNICEF are currently in Embu, Kenya double-checking information gathered during the recent assessments of southern sector sites for the annual OLS assessment. When this process is completed, assessment reports will be finalized and circulated to OLS NGOs at the NGO/Donor Coordination meeting on 5 November for input. Any comments should be submitted to Adrian Sharp, WFP Nairobi, tel: 622117.

OLS programmes update... World Vision International held a workshop on fruit tree planting and maintenance in Tonj as part of their ongoing agricultural programme. Their water training school, focusing on training technicians in bore hole maintenance, is in progress in Nabagok County. They also reported that their ox plough programme is ongoing, with 70 bulls recently trained in ploughing techniques.

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Message-ID: <199610291604.LAA23333@rmy.rmy.emory.edu> Date: Tue, 29 Oct 1996 11:04:13 -0500 From: "Younis AI." <younis@RMY.EMORY.EDU> Subject: OLS Southern Sudan Weekly Update: 29 October 1996


Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar

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