South Sudan - Improving Health and Living Conditions - Concern Worldwide 2017

As of March 2017 an estimated 7.5 million people across South Sudan are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection across the country as a result of armed conflict inter-communal violence economic crisis disease outbreaks and climatic shocks. Approximately 1.85 million people are internally displaced within South Sudan and over 1.4 million South Sudanese have sought protection in neighbouring countries. The civil war as well as erratic rainfall in some areas have resulted in 4.6 million people projected to require food assistance with malnutrition rates over emergency thresholds. Outbreaks of cholera measles and hepatitis E have strained an already overwhelmed health system. Humanitarian access remains restricted in many conflict areas and large numbers of people are accessible only by air drops. With GAC's support Concern Worldwide is helping to improve health and living conditions for up to 91 679 vulnerable internally displaced and vulnerable conflict-affected people in Unity State and Central Equatoria State South Sudan. Project activities include: (1) rehabilitating two boreholes for 28 800 people in the Bentiu Protection of Civilians site and ten water points for 5 000 people in Guit and Rubkona counties; (2) constructing 200 communal latrines benefitting up to 36 000 people and providing hygiene promotion training; (3) delivering quality outpatient therapeutic programs targeted supplementary feeding programs and infant and young child feeding services at seven nutrition sites for 11 179 malnourished children under five years of age and 1 265 pregnant and lactating women; (4) promoting improved Infant and Young Child Feeding knowledge through 2 680 mother-to-mother support group sessions led by 83 lead mothers.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities; (2) improved hygiene behaviours in target communities; (3) increased access to interventions aimed at preventing identifying and treating severe and moderate acute malnutrition among children under five and pregnant and lactating women. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crises or acute food insecurity.