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South Sudan
Why are we in South Sudan? South Sudan gained independence in July 2011 and has experienced a long history of conflict, displacement, and deepening humanitarian needs. The Human Development Index (HDI) places South Sudan last out of 91 countries and 2.2 million people remain internally displaced. We are responding by providing emergency, resilience, and long-term development programming.
Humanitarian needs keep increasing as donor funding continues to decline
Since March 2024, humanitarian needs in South Sudan have begun to rise higher than projected, largely due to the protracted conflict in Sudan. This has compounded the existing challenges facing South Sudan, including insecurity, violence, displacement, hunger, and severe flooding. It’s also disrupted international trade, and has led to an influx of both refugees and returnees. In January and February 2024 alone, an average of 1,500 to 2,000 individuals crossed into South Sudan every day, bringing the estimated total number of arrivals since April 2023 to over 660,000.
An estimated 9 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in 2024. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis estimates that 7.1 million people — roughly 56% of the population — will face acute food insecurity during this year’s lean season (April to July).
“It’s hard to cope with what you’re seeing because people have nothing. It was two days wandering around the camp before I saw a child with a piece of paper. There are no toys. Nothing.”
Latest achievements
Programme impact
Last year, we reached over 550,000 of some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in South Sudan through health and nutrition, livelihoods, WASH, food security and shelter programmes. 60% of those reached were women.
Emergency response
Building NGO capacity
Chagawa* who is 9 months pregnant stands in front of a Mobile Health Clinic in a remote rural area of Aweil, South Sudan. With her is Concern midwife Rebekka. Photo: Abbie Trayler-Smith
Nyakolo is at the Concern Nutrition Centre with her daughter Kialeach Tut. Kialech was assessed and identified as malnourished, she is receiving treatment such as supplementary food to increase her weight and ensure she is healthy. Juba, South Sudan Photo: Samir Bol / Concern Worldwide
Concern Nutrition Facilitator, Angelina Nyagan, works at the Nutrition Centre in a POC in Juba. She will assess members of the community and distribute medicine and supplementary food to those needing support. South Sudan Photo: Samir Bol / Concern Worldwide
Over 200,000 people in 2021, more than a quarter of the local population in Unity state, were forced to leave their homes due to severe flooding. Photo: Kirk Prichard/Concern Worldwide
Concern Worldwide launched an enhanced emergency response in South Sudan after hundreds of thousands of people were forced from their homes by the worst floods in almost 60 years.
Nyaluit Khan and her 14 month old child Chudier are at the Concern Nutrition Centre today to receive supplementary food such as plumpynut and cereal to help increase their nutritional level.
How we're helping South Sudan
We're working hard to respond to the growing needs in South Sudan through emergency programming which includes activities around health, food security, and water sanitation and hygiene.
Health and nutrition
Food security and livelihoods
Water, sanitation and hygiene
Latest from South Sudan
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