ACTED Maban, South Sudan [ACTED News] – ACTED is currently conducting an emergency response to takle the needs of the populations in Gendrassa and Kaya refugee camps, in Maban, South Sudan. This response includes shelter and non-food item (NFI) distributions as well as establishing two cooperatives in both refugee camps.
ACTED is conducting a short term strategy of rapid shelter distributions to provide protection during the rainy season in Kaya refugee camp. In the long term, these shelters will be upgraded and the design adapted, using local techniques and materials, such as grass, sticks and mud to improve and expand their structure. This process also supports local markets and enables refugees to manage their own shelter maintenance in a sustainable way. This project has been supported by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
Ensuring basic household needs
In Gendrassa Camp, some 53,000 NFIs have been distributed to more than 4,000 refugee families. These items assist refugees in safer water collection, food preparation, and improving household hygiene. The kits include: a jerry can, a bucket, a sleeping matress, a blanket, a mosquito net, and a cooking set including utensils and cooking pots. Plastic sheeting and rope were also distributed as part of an improved shelter strategy; to provide waterproof support for refugee tents over the rainy season. These distributions were supported by UNHCR and the Japanese government. Similar distributions in the new camp Kaya are also planned.
Supporting food security and livelihoods
CTED also facillitated the establishment of two kinds of cooperatives to support increased food security and sustainable livelihoods through income generating activities in response to the refugee influx in both Gendrassa and Kaya camps, Maban County. Through grinding mill cooperatives, ACTED provides a service of sorghum grinding, support members of the community with free grinding services and give cooperative members an alternative source of income. Thes cooperatives target vulnerable women to produce energy saving stoves and allows them to sell them for income-generation. These stoves require less firewood, inducing significant reductions in environmental impact and in women’s daily labour. This project is supported by the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department.