[Anglican Communion News Service] Bishop John Gattek from the Diocese of Malakal, Church of Sudan is calling for humanitarian relief for communities in the Benitu area of Unity state in South Sudan.

Unity State area is on the border of South Sudan and Sudan where tension is permanent due to lack of agreement regarding boundary issues and the way in which valuable resources are shared. There is a humanitarian crisis due to the conditions in which people have to live. Among them are returnees from North Sudan and other nations, internally displaced people and the host community.

You can read more about this situation in the Humanitarian Bulletins (4 – 10 of June) – (11- 17 of June) issued by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

They are in desperate need of water and sanitation supplies, food, health care, shelter and educational facilities. Humanitarian operation has also been affected by the rainy season that limits road access to settlements and connection to the capital Juba. In addition, vital infrastructure was destroyed by the war as was the church building in the Bentiu area.

Bishop Gattek is asking for help to provide the following assistance to the communities in the areas of Rubkoana, Mayom, Abiemnom, and Panrieng:

• Food items: cooking oil, lentils, salt, etc.
• Non-food items: plastic sheets, blankets, buckets/basins, agricultural tools, Arabic and English bibles, drugs and medical equipment, mosquito nets and fuel

The Sudanese Relief and Development Agency SUDRA, which is part of the Church in Sudan, will receive and manage the donations to this appeal and monitor the movement of resources. If you would like to support this appeal you can donate to:

Beneficiary bank: KCB Bank (Kenya Commercial Bank Ltd.)
Beneficiary Bank branch: Buluk
Beneficiary bank account number: 5500036564
Name on bank account: ECS SUDRA
SWIFT code: KCBLKENX
Bank address: Ministries Road, Buluk, Juba, South Sudan; also Kenya Commercial Bank, Ltd., P.O. Box 48400.0010, Moi Avenue, Nairobi, Kenya

Anglicans around the world have been helping communities affected by the civil war in Sudan and South Sudan. The North American Episcopal Relief and Development and the Australian Anglican Board of Mission work in partnership to support the health service provided by the church in Sudan. They also provide emergency relief though SUDRA and have permanent appeals to help the affected communities and build the local capacity of the church.