“Our lives have improved”
Growing food and people out of poverty in South Sudan
For most of South Sudan’s 11 million people, life is one long challenge.
At the height of the hunger season from May to July, hunger is set to reach unprecedented levels, leaving nearly 7 million people — 60 percent of the country’s entire population — unsure even where their next meal will come from.
The World Food Programme (WFP) — through its Food Assistance for Assets (FFA) initiative — helps to address these immediate food needs through cash, voucher or food transfers, while at the same time building or rehabilitating assets to improve food security and bolster people’s resilience over time.
Here is how a day in the life of one participant in the project looks like:
6:30 am
The sun is only a few minutes old but Achok Tog’s day started before the crack of dawn. A gentle breeze wafts through a lush green island near the village of Wardit, providing welcome relief from the searing heat of South Sudan’s dry season.
Torched by the sun, the parched land looks dry, dusty and orange-coloured — except for a community garden, an oasis of water, greenery and even hope, established as part of the FFA activities a two-hour walk from Aweil city.
The garden has grown to become a symbol of life in this often-unforgiving land. Achok’s first task is to harvest ripe okra, a great way to start the day.
07:30 am
Achok’s husband is still at home minding the children. She and he work in shifts — one at home, one at the garden. For now, it’s her turn to be at the garden.
There are 25 irrigation points along the garden’s two-kilometre stretch. The community chose the location due to its proximity to a water source. The swamp, is the only water reservoir that has the precious liquid all year round in Wardit — a plus during South Sudan’s notorious six-month-long dry season.
The area is prone to flooding during the rainy season and is a favoured spot for Nile crocodiles and hippos. The beauty of it, though, is that the soil is much more fertile and richer following the rainy season.
8:30 am
“In the past, my vegetable garden was not productive.” says Achok. “The most valuable aspect of this project is that we can now take care of our families and have acquired skills to produce better crops.”
11:30 am
After trekking for two hours on foot from Wardit, participants arrive at Sukkuthaar vegetable market, the biggest and oldest stall in Aweil, where they sell part of the produce that they have harvested from the garden.
12:30 pm
With the money she gets from selling her vegetables, Achok buys food, other ingredients and items such as medicine for her family before making the trip back home on foot.
2:00 pm
Back in Wardit, Achok prepares the family meal of “posho,” a thick porridge made from sorghum flour served with sauce. Also on the menu is okra that she harvested from the garden mixed with groundnut paste, onions and vegetable oil — a delicacy for many people in this part of the world.
3:30 pm
Achok’s four children mill around the kitchen hut, occasionally running outside, but never for long. Being covered with dust is the evidence of a day well spent by them. “They must be hungry.” she says.
“We sell part of the crops we harvest and keep some for our own consumption.” says Achok. “ We now have money to buy what we need and to feed our children. We even bought a few chickens with the money.”
4:00 pm
Food is ready! The family, minus their dad who is still out at the community garden doing his shift of work, congregates to enjoy a hot meal. The family is now able to eat well. “Our lives have improved.” says Achok.
What next?
Combining conditional food or cash assistance with training and asset creation is helps hungry families, like Achok’s, to take their first steps out of the poverty trap in South Sudan.
The African Development Bank, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom have so far provided invaluable support towards WFP’s Food Assistance for Assets initiative in 2019. With sufficient funding, WFP plans to reach more than 620,000 people in South Sudan this year.
