South Sudan Water and Sanitation Project - Oxfam Canada 2009

In 2009 Western Equatoria State in southern Sudan on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been plagued by inter-tribal violence as well as incursions from the Ugandan rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) which is active throughout the region. As a result since late 2008 an estimated 70 000 people have been newly displaced within Western Equatoria. At the same time some 20 000 refugees from the DRC have also crossed into the already troubled state. The semi-autonomous Government of South Sudan lacks the resources to provide adequate security for the affected populations leaving them no choice but to flee their homes to find safety and forcing them to rely on humanitarian agencies to provide life-saving basic services. CIDA's support of Oxfam Canada is helping it to provide access to desperately needed safe water adequate sanitation facilities and proper knowledge of hygiene and public health issues for an estimated 40 000 internally displaced persons in Western Equatoria State.