7 October 2014 - To assist displaced students in need, World Vision International today distributed food to over 20 schools in Maridi Country, Western Equatoria State.

The relief food targets over 1,200 students who fled to Maridi from Juba and other places when conflict broke out in South Sudan in December 2013. The students are living with families in the county.

According to County Education Director Elia Zacharia, the administration decided to register the displaced students in various schools in Maridi to enable them to continue with their studies.

“We are distributing food which World Vision International provided in response to a project proposal we submitted,” he said.

Mr. Zacharia noted that students will receive food rations, including sorghum, cooking oil and salt, on a monthly basis for a few months.

He, however, urged parents and pupils to continue with cultivation in schools because food assistance from World Vision was only for a short period and not sufficient to meet all their needs.

Mr. Zacharia reiterated that it is Maridi County policy for all schools to have a farm on which food for students is produced.