South Sudan

The civil war in South Sudan in recent years forced the rural population to flee the ongoing violence. Many fled to urban areas and suburbs. The population influx into these areas, which were already affected by civil war, worsened the already problematic supply of food and access to clean water. Hunger, malnutrition and undernourishment prevail. Meanwhile, some families return to their villages to find poor water supplies. In addition, there is a lack of seeds and agricultural equipment to recultivate the abandoned fields.

The hunger crisis 2022 in numbers:

• At the end of 2022, 6.6 million people were food insecure.
• For April-July 2023, it is projected that 7.76 million people will be food insecure (in IPC stage 3 of a hunger crisis and higher). This is 63% of the population.

The impact of the Covid 19 pandemic:

The Covid-19 pandemic is further exacerbating the situation in South Sudan. The virus not only threatens the health of the people, but also has fatal effects on the economy and the food situation: food prices have risen enormously and there are fewer employment opportunities. In addition, imports from neighboring countries such as Uganda are declining and limiting food availability. School operations are currently limited. From March to October 2020, schools were completely closed. For many children, school meals were the only hot meal they had each day. As of now, graduating classes can attend school again.

We improve water, sanitation and hygiene supply:

• We build wells, especially in rural areas, and use water tests and water containers to ensure that the water is clean.
• We are rebuilding water and sanitation facilities at schools.
• We support rural families in building their own household latrines.
• Hygiene promotion is carried out at schools and in communities, and women's groups are supported through training on hygiene and nutrition topics.
• We distribute hand-washing stations and soap to households and schools, and conduct education campaigns on protective measures against covid-19.

We are committed to food security:

• We support families in villages, especially returning refugees, to cultivate their fields again. To this end, we distribute locally produced seeds and agricultural equipment.
• We provide training on good farming practices and set up demonstration gardens.
• We support women in building kitchen gardens through training, seeds and tools.
• We provide training on seed multiplication.
• In schools, we take care of school meals (currently only for graduating classes, as schools are only open to them) and the operation of school gardens to impart knowledge of cultivation techniques and raise awareness about nutrition.
• The country is also affected by natural disasters, especially flooding, which is frequent in southern Sudan due to the many rivers. Currently, families in Juba have been affected by flooding from the Nile River. They lost their crops and in many cases their entire household. We are helping them by distributing hygiene items, restoring access to clean water, and assisting them in restarting their agricultural activities.