A spokesperson for Canadian Foodgrains Bank says they are very grateful for a recent funding announcement by our federal government. The Canadian government is providing a $4 million grant for Canadian Foodgrains Bank to address the growing hunger crisis in Sudan.
According to Canadian Foodgrains Bank, nearly 25 million people in Sudan are facing acute hunger since the outbreak of civil war in April 2023. That makes up more than half the population. As many as 640,000 people are already experiencing famine-like conditions in five identified areas.
The UN's Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Famine Review Committee says famine is projected in an additional five areas of Sudan, and a further 17 areas are at risk of famine.
In response to the escalating needs, the Government of Canada has provided $4 million to Canadian Foodgrains Bank and its member agencies to provide emergency food assistance to thousands of families most impacted by the hunger crisis in Sudan.
"Sudan is currently the worst humanitarian crisis in the world," says Christina Philips, Director of Resources and Public Engagement with Canadian Foodgrains Bank. "This grant is going to make an impact for thousands of people."
Philips explains that the grant will be used to help fund a few projects. One of those is through Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Canada. Philips says ADRA Sudan will be executing the project in the White Nile area which will see them serve about 9,000 individuals, providing vouchers so that people can buy food to support their families.
Another project is through Emergency Relief and Development Overseas (ERDO), working through LM International Sudan to assist about 11,000 individuals through a food assistance project in the North Kordofan region of Sudan.
One other project is through World Renew Canada, which is working with ZOA Sudan in the South Darfur region, serving about 7,000 individuals. Philips says these individuals have been displaced after fleeing their homes. She notes they will be provided vouchers so they can feed their families.
Philips has returned from a recent trip to South Sudan. She refers to it as "a trip of devastation." Philips says while there the temperature was 40 degrees, and the land was hard from the heat and lack of rain. She notes when the rain eventually comes, the earth is so hard that it causes massive flooding.
Philips explains that South Sudan has seen approximately one million people cross their borders. She notes about 90 per cent of those individuals were from South Sudan, who took refuge in Sudan before the conflict. They fled South Sudan because of the poverty levels in their country.
"I was able to meet with a few of them and they were talking about how when they lived in Sudan before the war, they were able to make a good livelihood," she says. "As one man said, 'every day I could have vegetables and meat for my family.'"
However, when the conflict broke out and the situation became too dangerous, they returned home and were placed in villages and communities where they were often served with emergency food assistance because the levels of poverty were so high.
Philips explains that as the returning refugees flee conflict, they may have been able to take some things with them, but often they are forced to sell those possessions along the way, just so they can have food on their journey.
"When you cross that border you come with nothing but the clothes on your back," she adds.
Philips says while meeting with the administrator of a refugee camp, he said he asks himself every day whether it is better for people to die in the war or die in the camp from starvation.
Philips says one of the reasons for the level of devastation in South Sudan is because of cuts made by United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
"The U.S. Government though their funding was able to support about 40 per cent of the international development sector," notes Philips. "And so, as those cuts were drastically made, so many of these programs are stopping really rapidly."
Philips encourages Canadians to think about what they can do and whether making a financial donation is an option for them. She also encourages Canadians to let their federal election candidates know that providing international aid is a good thing and that Canada should continue with its values of compassion and justice. Philips also asks people to pray for peace because conflict continues to be the leading cause of hunger.
"And dying of hunger is a punishment that nobody deserves," she says.