Jonglei State in South Sudan presents some of the most challenging water, sanitation and hygiene and food security conditions for communities in South Sudan today. Since the start of the conflict in December 2013 an estimated 2 million people have been displaced across the country, with 621,200 internally displaced within Jonglei state.
Due to continuing conflict in the Greater Upper Nile region of South Sudan, a large number of the displaced are still unable to return home. One of the hardest areas in the state is Nyirol County, where access to food, water and sanitation facilities was already limited prior to the December 2013 crisis.
Conflict over resources is a major contributing factor to this, with pre-existing issues cattle raiding and revenge attacks exacerbating the situation. Because of the crisis, many markets have been destroyed or heavily impacted upon as a result of broken supply lines. Farmers are no longer cultivating as insecurity has driven them from their land. The cost of food has risen exponentially as supplies are scarce.
Oxfam is addressing critical needs faced by people in Nyirol County, in Jonglei state, where many forced from home have sought safety. We are increasing access to safe water and sanitation by drilling boreholes and repairing existing ones and ,building latrines , and conducting public health promotion around good hygiene. We are also improving access food for the most vulnerable by distributing emergency supplies of sorghum, oil and salt and investing in fishing tools and skills. Oxfam has been in Nyirol state since June 2014.