Don Bosco Tonj students work on school farm to help provide food security

(MissionNewswire) Students from primary and secondary classes at Don Bosco Tonj in South Sudan* have been working on the school farm to ensure that there is enough food to eat during the ongoing civil war and serious economic crisis impacting the country. People in the South Sudan are facing a 300% cost increase for basic necessities, and it has become very difficult for people to eat at least two meals a day.

During the rainy season, students grew various products for school meals. Before the early morning school assembly and after class, students devote time to sowing and caring for the land to get a better harvest.

Similarly, young parishioners, with the help of the justice and peace desk at the Catholic diocese of Rumbek, have also ventured into agriculture, in addition to their work and study commitments. Youth have shown great resilience with the agricultural initiatives.

A Salesian noted, “Work on the school farm is not an obstacle to regular attendance in classes. Students have been as dedicated to their studies as they have been in working on the farm. The food grown helps to provide for their meals and support their growth. Hungry students have trouble learning and we have created a farm that allows them to ensure good nutrition while also learning new skills.”

South Sudan gained its independence from Sudan in 2011 but has faced an ongoing civil war that started in December 2013 and continues today. This has resulted in a dire humanitarian crisis. According to the United States Institute of Peace, more than 10 million people have been forced from their homes. The war has also triggered the world’s worst hunger crisis with more than 18 million Sudanese living in acute food insecurity.

Responding to the civil strife is nothing new to Salesian missionaries in South Sudan, who are dedicated to the programs and services they are providing across the country. Salesian missionaries provide education, social development services, nutrition programs, and health clinics for poor youth and their families. For some, the education offered at Salesian schools is the only opportunity to gain an education and the skills necessary for future employment.

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Sources:

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS) 

ANS – South Sudan – Don Bosco Tonj school pupils cultivate the land to deal with the country’s economic instability

Salesian Missions – South Sudan

United States Institute of Peace – Four Priorities for Sudan a Year into the Civil War

*Any goods, services or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.