Johanniter in South Sudan
Why we are on site
South Sudan is the world’s youngest state and is extremely fragile. A brutal civil war raged in the country for a long time, and political and social conflicts continue to flare up time and again.
Food prices are high, meaning that people can barely afford their meals. According to UN figures, 7.8 million people are suffering from hunger (as of 4/26). That is more than half the country’s population. On top of this, the effects of climate change are particularly severe in South Sudan: the rainy seasons are no longer reliable. When it does rain, it often leads to flooding. During the dry season, the soil is barren and yields very little. People often have to walk long distances to access clean water. Children suffer from preventable diseases such as diarrhoea, malaria and pneumonia. Maternal and child mortality rates in the country are extremely high.
The situation has worsened dramatically as a result of the war in neighbouring Sudan, which began in 2023. Hundreds of thousands of people from Sudan have fled to South Sudan. For them, there is a severe shortage of food, clean water and medical care.
How We Help in South Sudan
Our support for vulnerable people in South Sudan ranges from health services to securing income, food and protection, as well as ensuring access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). We operate in two South Sudanese states: Wau in Western Bahr el Ghazal State in the west of the country, and Torit in Eastern Equatoria State in the south, near the border with Uganda.
We support people through health projects. In Wau, for example, we have built maternity wards in primary healthcare facilities and trained village health workers to provide healthcare for children under five. Through our nutrition projects, we have monitored the nutritional status of young children and provided additional food in cases of malnutrition. In Torit, we have provided remote villages with access to healthcare through mobile clinics. We have conducted awareness campaigns in villages and communities on topics such as gender-based violence (GBV), early marriage, and protection against sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment.
Another key focus is WASH projects. We drill and rehabilitate wells to provide clean drinking water. We also build latrines at schools, clinics and marketplaces. In terms of income generation and food security, we provide training to groups of farmers in climate-resilient farming methods. Women's groups learn bread baking, sewing, knitting and how to build fuel-efficient stoves, enabling them to generate their own income.