Rising tensions in southern Sudan are threatening to further destabilize a region already struggling with widespread poverty, chronic unemployment and inadequate access to basic services, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) decried on Wednesday.

ADRA said it is extending its work to assist the needs of returnees in the southern Sudan region, while supporting reintegration in their destination communities through a one-year project funded by the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA).

The project, titled stabilizing southern Sudan through strengthened services, also known as the S5 program (pronounced, "S five"), is scheduled to run until the end of April 2010, and will benefit nearly 204,000 people in the states of Upper Nile, Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei, and White Nile. More than 38,000 of the targeted beneficiaries are returnees.

"The need to continue to reintegrate returnees is critical for the stability of south Sudan," Clement Arkangelo, the associate country director for the ADRA Sudan Southern Sector office said in a statement received here.

"The improvement of social infrastructure and basic services is important in establishing a conflict-free, stable environment. Without these, not only resident communities will be affected, but also the returnee population."

In order to directly address the health concerns of the targeted population, S5 is assisting more than 191,000 people in the region, training health care providers, educating the community on important health messages, and providing basic healthcare within the population, especially among vulnerable groups, such as young children, and women within their reproductive years.

Through its water and sanitation component, ADRA continues to meet the health needs of beneficiaries in Upper Nile State, White Nile State, and Jonglei State. More than 80,000 people will benefit from increased access to clean water, the provision of household latrines and hand washing facilities, and personal hygiene education.

"ADRA's work, to date, has greatly reduced the vulnerability of returnees during their journey home," added Arkangelo.

"These activities remain a strategically important means of facilitating the return of those who otherwise would be unwilling, or unable to make the journey."

ADRA said it is also providing basic household and shelter items, including jerry cans, water jugs, plastic sheets, blankets, and insecticide-treated mosquito nets to assist the estimated 270,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) that are expected to return to the south this year.

"These supplies are in addition to the food, water, shelter and sanitation services ADRA supplies at way stations along the route. More than 18,000 IDP returnees will benefit," the agency said.

Source: Xinhua