A new country is born

Yesterday, the last shuttle was sent up from NASA and today a new country was born.
South Sudan, the 193rd country in the world, has begun. Their freedom day has dawned - now let us hope they can know peace.

 AGOK, SOUTHERN SUDAN-MARCH, 2011: Returnees camp in AGOK. Photo by Veronique de
Viguerie/Reportage by Getty Images for UNICEF

Half the population of this new nation will be children, but they will need our help.
As Anthony Lake, UNICEF Executive Director stated .."the children of South Sudan face significant challenges, One child in nine still dies before reaching the age of five. Hundreds of thousands are deprived of their right to an education, to adequate health care..."

I find it sad, that one country can send rockets into space whilst in our newest country a 15 year old girl has more chance of dying in childbirth than she does of completing school. How is this fair, how can we stand back and let this happen.

Luckily, UNICEF is there and are working hard to increase maternal and child survival. By equipping health facilities, training health workers, immunising children, their work will help. They are in a great position as they have operated in Sudan for almost 60 years.They  have been present in the country throughout decades of conflict.

UNICEF ambassador Martin Bell visited the country in April and yesterday he spoke at an UNICEF round table on South Sudan stating that "...by almost every indication, South Sudan is going to be one of the poorest countries in the world, this country will need more than flags and anthems this weekend."

NZARA COUNTY, SOUTHERN SUDAN-MARCH, 2011: UNICEF Ambassador Martin Bell speaks to
Samuel Apollo Ndoromo, community chief of Nzara community, who fled from their village after LRA
attacks . Samuel has 2 wives and 14 children who fled with him. Photo by Veronique de Viguerie/
Reportage by Getty Images for UNICEF

• £5 could vaccinate 13 children against measles
• £6.50 is enough to provide special milk for a severely malnourished child for a week 
• £40 could buy a school-in-a-bag of essential school supplies for 40 children and a teacher 

Children of South Sudan urgently need our help now. To support UNICEF’s child survival projects in South Sudan text ‘SUDAN’ to 70007 or go to www.unicef.org.uk/southsudanappeal


Please help them , I know I will be.

BNM

All photos were supplied by UNICEF