October 2022
We support community-led programs to build resilience and peace.
 From left: UNICEF South Sudan Representative Hamida Lasseko, USAID Mission Director for South Sudan Kate Crawford and South Sudan Health Minister Yolanda Awel Deng Juach speak to journalists at the UNICEF warehouse in Juba, where USAID announced a $35 million contribution to UNICEF for ready-to-use therapeutic food to treat children suffering from life-threatening malnutrition. Photo: Victor Lugala/USAID
USAID Contribution to UNICEF Will Help Address Child Malnutrition Crisis
USAID contributed $35 million to UNICEF this month to provide life-saving nutrition for children in South Sudan suffering from severe wasting, a life-threatening form of malnutrition. The contribution will be used for more than 350,000 cartons of ready-to-use therapeutic food to treat more than 350,000 children suffering from severe wasting across South Sudan in 2022 and 2023. South Sudan is facing the highest levels on record of malnutrition among children, with 1.4 million children expected to suffer from acute malnutrition this year—an increase of approximately 30 percent from 2021. Widespread acute food insecurity in South Sudan is driven by prolonged conflict and recurrent flooding, according to the USAID-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network.
 On October 12 in Juba, USAID announced a $5 million contribution to the World Health Organization. From left: Ministry of Health Undersecretary Dr. Victoria Anib, WHO Representative a.i. for South Sudan Dr. Fabian Ndenzako, and USAID Mission Director for South Sudan Kate Crawford. Photo: Victor Lugala
USAID Contribution to WHO Supports Emergency Health Response
On October 12, USAID announced a $5 million contribution to the World Health Organization (WHO) to support an integrated health response for communities affected by crises and acute food insecurity across South Sudan. With USAID support, WHO will reach an estimated 1.1 million vulnerable internally displaced persons, returnees, and host community members who are at risk of elevated disease burden and death due to diseases across 20 counties in South Sudan’s Jonglei, Lakes, Unity, Upper Nile, Warrap, and Western Equatoria states facing severe levels of acute food insecurity. The new funding will ensure the procurement and distribution of emergency health kits for essential health and nutrition services to crisis-affected people and strengthen prevention, early detection, investigation, and response to disease outbreaks. It will include screening and treatment of severely malnourished children in food-insecure areas.
 U.S. Ambassador Michael Adler (center) and USAID staff visited the World Food Program warehouse in Malakal on October 6. Photo: James Arike/USAID
In Malakal, USAID-funded Health and Food Assistance Helps Displaced People
On October 6, U.S. Ambassador to South Sudan Michael J. Adler and USAID humanitarian staff visited the Protection of Civilians (PoC) site in Malakal, which hosts approximately 50,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), including several thousand displaced since violence escalated in Upper Nile’s Panyikang County and surrounding areas in August. The delegation observed and monitored health services available to the displaced population, including a mobile clinic in the buffer zone, an integrated clinic in the PoC site, and a nearby surgical operation theater. With USAID support, International Medical Corps has provided curative health consultations to more than 3,600 IDPs and psychosocial support services to approximately 1,100 people in the PoC site and buffer zone since mid-August. The delegation also toured the World Food Program warehouse in Malakal and discussed how the UN agency is working to distribute USAID-funded food commodities to communities in need in Greater Upper Nile.
 International Medical Corps staff demonstrate use of the Pharmaceutical Information Management System in a health facility in Malakal. Photo: Kristina Ortiz/USAID
Innovation Reduces Patient Wait Times, Increases Prescription Safety
With USAID support, International Medical Corps (IMC) successfully deployed in South Sudan its innovative Pharmaceutical Information Management System, a software designed to manage the last mile of the pharmaceutical supply chain and support frontline health workers in managing medical supply stocks and improving patient care. Since its deployment in South Sudan in September 2021, this technology has reduced prescription dispensing and average waiting times over 80 percent—from four to five minutes to an average of 41 seconds for prescriptions—and from 85 minutes to 16 minutes for patients’ average waiting times. Most importantly, health workers’ inventory processes reached more than 99 percent accuracy during the first month of the system’s use, and its proactive alert feature resulted in 100 percent elimination of adverse drug interactions or improper dosage, IMC said. USAID is proud to invest in this innovative technology that is strengthening health services for some of South Sudan’s most vulnerable communities.
 Mama Lupate Imelda, 76, is vaccinated for COVID-19 in Budi County. Photo: MOMENTUM activity
USAID Boosts South Sudan's COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts
Through the Health Pooled Fund that USAID supports with other donors, boma (community) health workers have been essential in South Sudan's goal to vaccinate 40 percent of the population over age 18 for COVID-19 by the end of the year. The effort focuses particularly on communities that have limited access to health services. Boma health workers educate communities about the health threats from COVID-19, and on the benefits and safety of COVID-19 vaccines. "I lead by example and got vaccinated," said Nadia, a boma health worker. Currently 15.3 percent of the population is vaccinated for COVID-19, according to Ministry of Health figures managed by the World Health Organization. USAID is also helping increase COVID-19 vaccination through the MOMENTUM activity, which helped identify hard-to-reach populations in Greater Equatoria, including the elderly and those with high-risk health conditions, which led to increased vaccinations among underserved communities in Greater Equatoria. “I did not know that I will survive this new disease called Corona. Since I got my jab with clear messages from the health worker, I feel more protected and happier,” said 76-year-old Mama Lupate Imelda in Budi County. Watch this video on boma health workers' efforts to increase COVID-19 vaccination in South Sudan.
 USAID Mission Director Kate Crawford (right) spoke with entrepreneurs and food producers in Yambio who are supported through USAID's Sustainable Agriculture for Economic Resiliency project, implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Western Equatoria Food Producers Improve Production with USAID Support
On October 13, USAID Mission Director Kate Crawford visited Yambio to monitor activities of USAID's Sustainable Agriculture for Economic Resiliency project, implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), including a maize and sorghum grinding mill and a honey processing plant run by cooperative groups. Through this project, FAO has also provided training and tools to 10 farmer groups in Western Equatoria State, helping them increase food production and access to local and regional markets, and supported other entrepreneurial activities, such as fisheries and milk bar enterprises in Rumbek.
 Members of the local Akobo organization Gender Engagement Call learned conflict resolution skills through training provided by USAID's Shejeh Salam peacebuilding activity. Photo: David Otim, Shejeh Salam activity
Local Organizations Learn to Identify and Defuse Conflict Triggers
To promote peace in South Sudan, USAID's Shejeh Salam activity trained four local organizations in Kapoeta, Juba, Wau, and Akobo counties between July and September on conflict resolution, peacebuilding, monitoring and evaluation, and psychological first aid. In Akobo, the female-led Gender Engagement Call organization attended a five-day training on conflict resolution and facilitation skills. The organization's members then held a series of community consultations about local triggers of violence and learned that conflict in their communities often escalated because people failed to identify and address root causes of conflict early enough. The Gender Engagement Call team members committed themselves to be more proactive in detecting drivers of conflict to defuse ethnic tension. “With these skills, I will continue to seek more understanding about conflicts in my community and call on the right actors to stop mobilizing youth for violence,” said a female participant and leader on the Gender Engagement Call team.
 A Resilience through Agriculture in South Sudan community engagement session in Kapoeta North. Photo: Resilience through Agriculture in South Sudan
Open Forums Inform Communities about Gender Equity, Combating Violence
USAID’s Resilience Through Agriculture in South Sudan activity is holding community awareness sessions in five priority counties (Kapoeta North, Akobo East, Budi, Jur, Wau) to promote household equity, help men appreciate the role of women in decision-making and agriculture, and encourage selecting crops for nutritional value. More than 2,700 people including women, youth, and religious leaders, local chiefs, county authorities, and community elders have participated in the campaign across the five designated counties. In addition to open community forums, the campaign has been aired on radio in eight local languages in the targeted counties, including in Juba. The community conversations also focus on awareness of and combating gender-based violence. “I used to beat my wife, but now I have realized that what I have been doing was wrong, so I will resort to dialogue should there be any misunderstanding between me and my wife, but not beating as a means of problem solving," said one man who attended a session in Agok, Wau.
 Peace Committee members and youth in Koch County at the International Day of Peace event in September. Photo: International Rescue Committee
Events in Mayendit and Koch Counties Promote Peaceful Coexistence
USAID's Communities Managing Conflict activity supported communities in Koch and Mayendit counties on September 23 and 29 to celebrate the International Day of Peace under the theme ‘No to Discrimination! Building Blocks for Peace.’ Approximately 300 people participated in the events, which recognized women, youth, and peace communities in promoting social cohesion and peaceful coexistence within and across payams and counties. Local authorities emphasized the need to return stolen cattle to their rightful owners in Leer, Mayendit, and Koch counties and called on politicians and community leaders to reject hate speech, which fuels communal conflict.
 The new Sustainable Independent Media Activity will build on the accomplishments of USAID’s 2013-22 i-STREAM activity implemented by Internews, which built sustainable independent radio in South Sudan, and improved media content and professionalism of community radio stations.
New Project Continues USAID Support for Independent Media in South Sudan
USAID announced on October 16 that it has signed a three-year, $12 million agreement with Pact Inc. to continue the U.S. Government’s long-standing support for independent media in South Sudan and the disputed Abyei Area on the South Sudan-Sudan border, as an essential element of democracy. Radio remains the most used and accessible source of information in South Sudan. The new Sustainable Independent Media Activity will improve access to credible, accurate, and reliable information for South Sudanese citizens by promoting the sustainability of high quality, independent radio operations.
 Interns hold certificates they received after completing training with USAID's Partner Liaison Security Operation (PLSO), which provides security information for USAID partners operating in South Sudan. Photo: PLSO South Sudan
Women Interns Gain Valuable Work Experience in Security Sector
USAID's Partner Liaison Security Operation graduated the second cohort of Women in Security interns on July 29, after a six-month professional development training on safety and security. Conducted between February and July 2022, the training provided a foundation in security risk management through internationally certified e-learning courses, instructor-led sessions, practical assignments, and field visits. The program also included work placement, with the interns hosted by four partner organizations in the humanitarian aid and development sector and commercial security companies. Through the internship, the four women gained work experience in a sector traditionally dominated by men, putting their theoretical knowledge of risk management into practice and providing tangible support to their host organizations’ program delivery. “I felt I could be one of them one day and my perception about this career changed for the better that day. I tried to learn as fast as I could and take on all the hard tasks in my work placement, including going for field trips to locations that have recently encountered active conflict, like Abyei,” said Kiden, one of the interns.
 An antiretroviral clinician explains to Anna (not her real name) the importance of viral load testing during her antiretroviral therapy refill at the Protection of Civilians site in Juba. Photo: Achan Gladys
Volunteers Living with HIV Provide Health Support to HIV-Positive Neighbors
USAID’s Advancing HIV & AIDS Epidemic Control Activity, implemented by Intrahealth, partners with local organization Christian Agenda for Development to deliver comprehensive HIV services in Juba and Western Equatoria state. They helped Anna (not her real name), who is 40 and HIV-positive, resume antiretroviral therapy after she missed taking medication for a month and her health deteriorated. They also trained her as a volunteer. She and other volunteers share their experience of living with HIV and follow up with clients who have skipped their medication for more than 28 days, counseling them on the importance of continuous medication to maintain good health. The volunteers help others who are HIV-positive in their communities by delivering prescription refills for clients who are unable to reach the facility, monitoring the health of those on treatment, and testing their viral load to determine the level of HIV in their blood. Christian Agenda for Development currently supports 427 clients on antiretroviral therapy.
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