South Sudan

Through a multi-year programme jointly implemented by UNICEF and the World Food Programme (WFP), KfW is helping to strengthen the resilience of communities in the south of the country that have insufficient access to vital services. The aim is to combat poverty and strengthen people’s ability to cope with external shocks by improving access to basic education (quality and quantity), health care and food (vitamins, vaccinations and the development of health facilities). The local population is also being involved in the implementation of infrastructure measures, production and food provision. These will directly reach 250,000 to 300,000 people, and 50,000 indirectly.

Hygienically safe drinking water is as hard to find in South Sudan as basic sanitation. Former water systems often suffered destruction during the war, fell into disrepair due to lack of maintenance or had poor drinking water quality. Against this background of difficult circumstances, KfW Development Bank is supporting the development of a sustainable water supply and sanitation for around 200,000 people on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. In cooperation with UNICEF, this involves extending access to drinking water and sanitation facilities, particularly in Juba, Yei, Torit and Yambio. The aim is to reduce the prevalence of water-borne diseases such as cholera, hepatitis A and diarrhoea and thus also the mortality rate, especially of the poor in these cities. Gender-based violence (e.g. sexual assault, rape and grievous bodily harm) is also to be reduced by providing safe and gender-sensitive WASH facilities in communities, schools and health centres. Also being promoted are psychosocial support programmes for survivors of gender-based and sexual violence.

On behalf of the German Federal Government, KfW is working with the French non-governmental organisation Agence d’Aide à la Coopération Technique et au Développement (ACTED) to improve the livelihoods of refugees and returnees in South Sudan in the medium to longer term. This is being achieved, among other things, by strengthening agricultural production and value chains, improving market access for producers, and through education and vocational training. Rural and communal infrastructure is also being (re)built with the help of the local labour force. A cash-for-work approach is being applied over the short term. In the medium to long term, the aim is to create better livelihoods for both refugees and the population in the host communities through new income opportunities.