Since the beginning of the crisis, almost 1.4 million South Sudanese have been displaced, of whom about 360,000 people have fled to Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda. Up to 87,000 people are sheltering in U.N. Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) compounds in the country. Due to insecurity and displacement, many people are unable to farm, access their normal food sources or migrate with their livestock. More than 20 per cent of the population was undernourished before the current crisis and deadly epidemic outbreaks are frequent and spread easily.
CARE supported health facilities continue to operate in both Jonglei and Unity states, treating hundreds of people wounded in the conflict on top of the usual case load dominated by malaria, gastrointestinal illnesses, respiratory infections and sexual and reproductive health services. CARE is providing Water, Sanitation, Hygiene (WASH) and nutrition services to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in Bentiu’s Protection of Civilian (PoC) and WASH and protection services to displaced people in Malakal’s PoC.
At the end of March, CARE completed a WASH project in the Eastern Equatoria town of Nimule, on the border with Uganda. Through this project, CARE assisted over 9,000 people with Gender Based Violence (GBV) prevention activities among displaced communities. CARE food security and livelihoods projects are getting off the ground in Jonglei’s Twic East, Duk and Uror counties.
CARE’s crisis response in Unity State has so far reached a total of 16,064 people directly, including 13,392 with health services, 1,900 with WASH and 2,445 with nutrition in two PoCs.