The world's newest country – South Sudan -- is about to become the recipient of a long-term Israeli humanitarian aid mission after being formally recognized this week by the State of Israel.
The project, to be carried out by IsraAID: The Israel Forum for International Humanitarian Aid, will be funded in part by The Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto, AJC and other agencies.
A humanitarian aid cargo is already being put together as a goodwill gesture between the two peoples, but the IsraAID team intends to take it farther. This is not the first time the organization has provided assistance in Africa.
“As a small and relatively newborn country, Israel has gained experience in various factors of water, agriculture, post-trauma, education, migration and others that would be valuable to the people of South Sudan who are now building their country,” said Shachar Zahavi, IsraAID's founding director.
The IsraAID teams have begun to assess the long-term needs on the ground for a long-term aid mission that would benefit children, women and elders in the most affected communities in the country.
“It is our mission and Jewish commitment to reach out to our new friends in any way we can,” he said.