South Sudan

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CRS in South Sudan

Severe Flooding in South Sudan

The complex humanitarian crisis in South Sudan is deepening as 9 Million people need assistance. Widespread severe hunger, persistent conflict and large scale displacement continue, as severe floods threaten to affect up to 3 million people by the end of 2025.

South Sudan is the newest country in the world, gaining its independence in 2011, and is one of the most diverse countries in Africa, with over 60 ethnic groups. South Sudan’s geography features the Sudd wetlands which expand during annual flooding of the Nile River to cover up to 20% of the country. After a decades’ long struggle for independence followed by two devastating civil wars, South Sudan has now established a roadmap for peace and reconciliation. Nevertheless, a protracted and severe humanitarian crisis continues to frustrate movement toward peace and development. Despite these immense challenges, CRS is inspired by the resilience, strength and perennial hope of the South Sudanese people. Building on the rich history, deep relationships and expert team of South Sudanese and International staff, CRS remains committed to accompany families and communities in South Sudan on their journey toward a brighter future.

CRS Response Team delivering medicine on boats

CRS Response Team crossing Jonglei Canal delivering medicine to communities affected by the floods in Ayod County.

Photo by Achuoth Deng for CRS

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CRS Strategy in South Sudan

Guided by an ambitious 2024-2028 Country Program Strategy, CRS focuses on building community resilience through integrated and layered interventions in food security, agriculture and livelihoods, social cohesion and access to essential services. CRS builds acceptance through long-term presence in the communities we serve, pivoting effectively between emergency response, recovery, and resilience-building to support communities on their journey towards self-reliance.

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Atoch Mawut Lat gestures on the farm of a vegetable producer group in Malou village, Bor county, Jonglei State, South Sudan.

Photo by Will Baxter/CRS

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CRS Program Activity in South Sudan

CRS programs currently serve Jonglei, Lakes, Eastern Equatoria, and Central Equatoria States, and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area.

CRS provides life-saving assistance that supports conflict and natural disaster-affected communities to meet their basic needs for food, water sanitation and hygiene (WASH), shelter and non-food items, and health and nutrition needs. To accelerate recovery and build long term resilience, CRS co-invests with communities, strengthening sustainable skills and assets that support:

  1. Climate-smart and sustainable livelihoods through improved agricultural production and natural resource management and regeneration.
  2. Effective engagement with markets through microfinance, adult literacy, and improved access roads.
  3. Improved capacity to adapt to and absorb shocks and stresses through community managed disaster risk reduction.
  4. Peaceful co-existence through trauma awareness and social cohesion.

Across programs, CRS applies gender-responsive and conflict-sensitive approaches which centralize the protection and inclusion of women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups.

Women carrying supplies over their heads.

1786 households in a village called Pajut were reached by a distribution of sorghum, oil and split yellow peas. The village was largely burnt down/abandoned following the violence of 2013, when VP Riek Machar left the government and fighting erupted between (largely) the Dinka and Nuer tribes.

Photo by Nancy McNally/CRS

Examples of recent CRS programs in South Sudan:

Pathways to Resilience: a multi-year emergency program building resilience through agriculture, livelihoods, social cohesion, nutrition, and disaster risk reduction in Budi, Kapoeta North, Akobo, and Duk Counties; funded by USAID/BHA.

Humanitarian food and nutrition assistance, as well as Asset Creation and Livelihood programming in Duk, Ayod, Pibor, and Akobo Counties, funded by World Food Programme.

Building a Culture of Social Cohesion and Peace program focused on strengthening social cohesion and resilient livelihoods in Pibor, Duk, Ayod, Uror, and Akobo Counties; funded by the European Union.

Strengthening Livelihoods for AgroPastoralists in Lakes State focused on strengthening resilient climate-smart livelihoods, and social cohesion with a focus on youth and women in Lakes State; funded by Global Affairs Canada.

A woman tends to vegetables on the farm.

A woman tends to vegetables on the farm of a vegetable producer group in Malou village, Bor county, Jonglei State, South Sudan, April 9, 2019. The group is receiving support and training Through CRS' Resilience and Food Security Program, a food security and livelihoods program funded by USAID Food for Peace in six counties of Greater Jonglei State.

Photo by Will Baxter/CRS

Local Partners

As a proud member of the Caritas Internationalis Federation, CRS works closely with the local Catholic Church as well as other faith based and civil-society actors. Building on long-standing relationships, CRS leverages the reach and influence of the Catholic Church as well other strong national and local NGOs, complementing their strengths to deliver high-quality impactful programming while supporting our partners through robust capacity strengthening.

A man showing a paper to a group of people.

CRS staff providing health education in Bie Mobile Medical Unit run by CRS. Primary healthcare services have been provided by 10 Mobile Medical Units in Ayod County at the Primary Health Care Unit level with services including reproductive health and communicable diseases with services reaching over 35,817 patients.

Photo by Achuoth Deng for CRS

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Read about our history in South Sudan

Stats

People Served: 2,030,153

Population: 12,703,714

Size: 248,777 sq mi (644,329 sq km) known for the swampy Sudd region and the White Nile river

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CRS' History in South Sudan

Catholic Relief Services has operated in South Sudan since 1983. For over 40 years, CRS has supported the people of South Sudan with emergency assistance and conflict mitigation amidst a period of prolonged civil war. Ahead of the country's independence in July 2011, CRS increased assistance to basic service delivery while scaling up efforts to strengthen civil society and reduce potential conflict around the 2011 referendum. Following independence, CRS worked to deliver broad-scale recovery and development in areas devoid of basic services for more than 50 years. Alongside the local Church and our partners, we have advocated for effective, responsive and equitable governance.

Today, CRS implements an integrated, multi-sectoral program portfolio of humanitarian and development assistance. CRS is among the largest International Non-Governmental Organizations in South Sudan and in recent years has mobilized over $40 million USD to assist over 1 million people per year. CRS has more than 300 staff, with its main office in Juba and 13 field locations across the Greater Pibor Administrative Area, Jonglei, Lakes, Eastern Equatoria, and Central Equatoria States.

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