JUBA, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations agencies and the European Union on Tuesday launched an education resilience project to support returnees from Sudan in rebuilding their lives and creating a better future for their children in South Sudan.

The EU, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the World Food Program (WFP) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said in a joint statement issued in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, that the project aims to benefit more than 120,000 people who fled conflict in neighboring Sudan since April 15.

The statement said that the project will focus on strengthening education, resilience and social cohesion in areas where there are high numbers of displaced people or returnees, with a particular focus on inclusive and gender-responsive quality education, sustainable livelihoods, school feeding, climate resilience, and activities to promote social cohesion.

Makena Walker, acting country director for WFP in South Sudan, said that support for families returning to their homes to rebuild their lives is critical, particularly for children who remain at risk of being kept from the classroom in a context of growing food insecurity.

According to UNICEF, some 2.8 million children are out of school in South Sudan, which increases their psychological distress and vulnerability to violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. Hamida Lasseko, UNICEF country representative in South Sudan, said education is the key to building a more peaceful, prosperous and resilient South Sudan, especially for the displaced people and returnees.

South Sudan is currently home to more than two million displaced people, the statement said, adding that those who return to their homes often face new challenges such as ongoing conflict, climate-related shocks, prolonged food insecurity, hyperinflation, and unemployment that all converge to erode livelihoods and coping strategies. Enditem

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