World Humanitarian Day: Save the Children Staff in South Sudan “Act for Humanity” to Save Lives.

Save the Children staff, Students alongside the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, planting tree in Juba. Photo: Ezibon Saadalla / Save the Children.

JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN - Today, on the World Humanitarian Day, Save the Children staff joined the rest of the world to commemorate and honour the heroes and heroines of humanity by donating blood to save lives and planting trees to protect humanity and the environment.

To mark the day, Save the Children staff, alongside the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Hon. Willam Chan, joined Juba Day and Juba Diocese Secondary Schools to plant more than 100 trees. About six different types or species of trees were planted, including fruits such as guava and mango trees.

“These trees we have planted are the future; please take care of them. When you finish school, you will be the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management and these trees will be history. Planting these trees with the children means a lot. I am happy that we have taken this step; teaching our children how to work for the future is key to the safety of our future,"  said Hon. Willam Chan. Hon. Wiliam told the students to continue planting trees to protect the environment.

“Save the Children has a unique approach to humanitarian work and we are really glad to have been one of the schools Save the Children works with, our students are highly motivated,"  said, George Keny, head teacher for Juba Day Secondary School.

Save the Children staff, Oluwaseun Okediran, donating blood at Save the Children office in Juba. Photo: Ezibon Saadalla / Save the Children

As part of acting for humanity to save lives, 18 staff members donated blood at the Save the Children office in Juba. The exercise was monitored and facilitated by the South Sudan Red Cross.  The purpose of the blood donation campaign was to enable Save the Children to fulfil its fundamental humanitarian duty of saving lives.

“There are people outside there who do not know you. This blood you have donated is going to help them and this is the true nature of humanitarian work. said Roba Halake Bante, Save the Children South Sudan head of humanitarian and emergency responses”.

“Save the Children is both a humanitarian and human rights organisation, advocating for the rights of children and at the same time saving lives,"  said Omar Ibrahim Ahmed, Save the Children's Director of Operation.