Indian community donates food items to visually impaired

The Indian community through its Embassy in the Republic of South Sudan has donated various food items and personal protective equipment to visually impaired persons in Juba.
The items which included maize flour, cooking oil, rice, sugar, milk, and salt as well as face masks, gloves, and hand sensitizers will benefit more than 400 people with visual impairment in the capital.
The gift marked another Indian communities’ continuous effort in fighting the global pandemic as well as acute food insecurity in the country.
According to the World Food Program, the main food security organization in South Sudan, more than half of the country’s population was going to face acute food insecurity in 2020.
In recent months, the Indian community through the South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (SSRRC) donated a consignment of assorted food items to people affected by the current country’s worsening food crisis.
In February this year, the community also donated lifesaving medicines to the Ministry of Health to supplement the government’s effort in fighting COVID-19.
On behalf of the Embassy and the Indian community, Sushil Kumar Rojoria, Deputy Indian Ambassador to South Sudan reiterated continuous humanitarian support to the government and the people of South Sudan.
“On seeing press reports about the pitiable condition of the visually-impaired individuals in Juba, the Indian community came forward to donate food and non-food items to the members of Central Equatoria State Visually Impaired Union.” Said Kumar.
“We shall continue to provide to the people of South Sudan in this critical moment,” the senior diplomat said during the donation last week in Buluk.
Robert Ladu, Chairperson of Central Equatoria State Visually Impaired Persons Union commended the Indian community for the donation, pointing out that lack of food and protective equipment were major challenges to people with disabilities during COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have been suffering. Our plights as visually-impaired persons have been worsening since the coronavirus broke out. We have been socially excluded and even neglected. Thanks to the Indian community and their Embassy in juba. Today we can say there are people outside there who remember us,” Ladu said.
He added, “We have no representatives at the COVID-19 National Task Force. How do we know our challenges if we do not have representatives? We need them to include us in the National Task Force.”
Mary Federiko, Chairperson of Women with Visual Impairment said women with disabilities were facing horrible situations since the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic and called on the government and humanitarian agencies to aid vulnerable women.
“We are the most affected people. Women with various forms of disability across the country don’t meet their needs and they are even prone to gender-based violence during this coronavirus pandemic.
“We need help from the government and humanitarian organizations because some of us have children and our husbands cannot provide as they are also affected, their jobs have been cut off,” Mary said.