South Sudan: Delivering vital relief and livelihoods opportunities in hard-to-reach areas

South Sudan is the world’s youngest nation, gaining independence from Sudan in 2011. While this marked the end of Africa’s most protracted civil war, it did little to secure peace for a diverse country made up of 60 different major ethnic groups.

Years of internal conflict inside the country have resulted in a protracted humanitarian crisis. Two-thirds of the population are in dire need of support. Many people go hungry and have no access to safe drinking water or sanitation facilities. The country’s health and education systems are particularly fragile. Natural disasters are also a mounting threat. The country has seen unprecedented floods in recent years, which have destroyed the livelihoods of many people. In 2022, two-thirds of the country was flooded.

In recent decades, South Sudan has faced famine, conflict and floods. Entire generations have grown up in violent circumstances, which have left many people traumatised. We continued to work in South Sudan throughout all these – sometimes dangerous – situations, and we have therefore earned the trust of the communities where we work.

Population

South Sudan has a population of 11.2 million people

Poverty

At least 80% of the population are living on the equivalent of less than US$1 per day

Our Reach

In 2024 5,692 people took part in our programmes

What we do in South Sudan

ZOA Dorcas consortium

In 2022, ZOA Dorcas South Sudan was established to combine the strengths and enhance the impact of ZOA and Dorcas Aid International. ZOA and Dorcas have both been individually present in South Sudan since 1998 and 2008, respectively. Our complementary expertise and geographical coverage enable us to achieve more impact in reaching those most affected by crises. More information about ZOA Dorcas South Sudan can be found on this website.

Dorcas works inside South Sudan to help vulnerable people with the immediate and long-term consequences of conflict and natural disaster. We work to create sustainable livelihoods for marginalised groups in hard-to-reach regions - with an aim to reduce the risks of reinforcing factors including conflict, underdevelopment and climate extremes.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

Waterborne diseases remain the leading cause of death among children in South Sudan. Our Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programmes offer short-term solutions to tackle the spread, such as access to clean water pumps and basic toilets as well as ways to separate human waste from contact with people. We also work with communities to build climate-resistant infrastructure and develop good hygiene practices - this is how we bring about long-term change.

Entrepreneurship

We provide vocational training, start-up grants and business development opportunities for marginalised women and men. We partner with local civil society organisations to train people in demand-driven skills that match the local context. The inclusion of disadvantaged groups such as those with disabilities is key - and relatively unique in South Sudan.

Food Security and Livelihoods

We train smallholder farmers in climate-smart agriculture so that they can put food on the table for their families and build back better following periods of conflict or natural disaster. This approach sees farmers trial different production methods designed to increase productivity, reduce emissions and add value to the final product. Dorcas is at the forefront of exploring innovative ways to enhance farming systems - all with the aim to tackle food security and climate change simultaneously.

Nutritional Support

More than one million children in South Sudan are acutely malnourished. We provide nutritional support for new and expecting mothers monitoring their wellbeing during pregnancy and beyond to ensure the healthy development of new-born babies. We also offer supplementary therapeutic feeding and, in severe cases, additional care at one of our small clinics. To increase knowledge about the importance of a healthy diet, we train mothers to set up a kitchen garden, contributing to the increased nutritional health of the family as a whole and lowering the dependency on emergency food assistance. Read more on battling malnutrition.

Pride! Empowered women contribute to inclusive development of their communities

Dorcas and two other organisations joined forced to develop an inclusive project to empower women. Empowered women, including persons with disabilities, contribute to inclusive development of their communities.

Together, we create an enabling environment that supports participation of women, including women with disabilities, in community activities, local political decision-making processes and economic activities. We enhance participation of marginalised women, including women with disabilities, in community activities and local political decision-making processes. And we increase contribution of women, including women with disabilities, to household income.