By Eddy Waure
Two hundred households of Internally Displaced Persons have received essential non-food items from the Catholic Organization for Development and Peace as part of the Emergency Response and Recovery project funded by CAFOD and Trocaire in partnership.
The distribution in Madebe Payam, approaching the project’s conclusion, provided mosquito nets, mats, soaps, plastic shelters, buckets, and blankets to strengthen the resilience of displaced families across Ibba County.
Commitment to Full Implementation
Project Manager Mr. Gigaragbere Emmanuel emphasized CODEP’s commitment to fulfilling pledges made at project inception.
“We have to tell you that, as said during the start of the project, the required items will be delivered without anything left behind. Our donors may refund us again or not so that the project can continue,” he stated, affirming organizational integrity and accountability.
Emmanuel expressed gratitude to Bishop Barani Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala for his tireless advocacy for vulnerable communities. He noted that donor policies limited beneficiaries to 200 households in this phase, expressing hope that future project extensions could reach additional families.
“Our donors funded only 200 households. We cannot add more on top because we don’t have extra resources. Next time, maybe the project can be extended to target more people,” he explained.
Community Leadership and Appreciation
The Area Chief, Richard Karawando, thanked CODEP and the Bishop for their care while urging beneficiaries to receive items peacefully.
“We are happy for our Bishop and donors for giving this project. We hope to have more projects again because we still need their support. This one should not be the last,” he said, articulating the community’s need for continued humanitarian assistance.
Beneficiary Testimonies
Mrs. Roda William expressed heartfelt gratitude to Bishop Hiiboro, donors, and CODEP Director for trusting Project Manager Emmanuel with implementation.
“We thank the Bishop, donors, and the CODEP Director for trusting Project Manager Mr. Emmanuel. We really enjoyed the project under his leadership,” she said.
Mr. Wakiri Daniel highlighted the importance of continued donor support while praising project management.
“We thank the organization for the project and the items we received today. We ask donors to continue funding CODEP. The Project Manager was loyal to us throughout, but the targeted number was small. We want the project to continue,” he added.
Ongoing Displacement Challenges
As the emergency response and recovery project concludes, the community of Ibba County continues appealing for project extension, stressing that the needs of displaced families remain pressing and urgent.
The distribution represents CODEP’s continued commitment to supporting IDPs while demonstrating the critical gap between humanitarian need and available resources in post-conflict Western Equatoria State.
