Great expectations in South Sudan

Vatican Radio - Almost one year on from the independence of South Sudan, the needs and the challenges facing people in the world’s newest nation remain immense – that’s according to the global Catholic confederation, Caritas Internationalis, which runs both emergency aid programmes and longer term development projects there.
Caritas communication officer Laura Sheahan has just returned from a fact finding visit to the border area of Abyei, where fighting flared a year ago as both Khartoum and the southern forces sought control ahead of the declaration of independence on July 9^th.
Expectations then ran very high and Laura says there’s still a new sense of self-determination, despite the vast needs for infrastructure, electricity, clean water or health and education systems. She shared with Vatican Radio’s Philippa Hitchen some heart rending stories but also some examples of courage and an indomitable will to build peace and prosperity in this resource rich nation….

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