Unconditional cash to vulnerable households in Akobo, South Sudan

Akabo, a fragile county in the Republic of South Sudan, is currently experiencing the most severe food insecurity in decades as heavy floods and unusual heavy rainfall (caused by climate change) are destroying cultivated land and making accessibility near to impossible. The majority of the population is experiencing emergency (IPC Phase 4) acute food insecurity, depending on food handout to survive, and where most survive on 1 meal a day (after food handouts).

One of the most marginalized communities in Akobo is Gakdong Payam, a community on the riverside with a 4 hour walk to the closest town. In this community the two widows Nyahok Machar (35 years) and Charbiel (40 years) strive to take care of their households (HHs) (consisting of 5 kids and 2 kids respectively) but it is a constant battle to fight food insecurity.

Nyahok and Charbiel are two of the 150 households that received unconditional cash grants from the Norad funded program in Akobo 'Combatting Food Security' due to their state as widows and Charbiel also for having a disabled child. The majority of the 72,300 SSP (approx. 72 USD) they received each were spent on South Sudanese staple food (e.g. Sorghum) but these two entrepreneurial women also put aside a little amount to insert into a business. Seeing an opportunity for selling tea – which is often drunk by the community as a coping mechanism to keep their stomachs feeling full. They both invested in buying a pack of sugar and opened “tea-houses” (one each) by the riverside, because there were none before.

The businesses to Nyahok and Charbiel are going well, they even expanded and started selling mandazi – a local baked good. Nyahok claims to have earned approximately 100,000 SSP (approx. 100 USD) in 40 days, where Charbiel earns 5,000 SSP (approx. 5 USD) a day.

Since the World Food Program stopped their distribution to the community in September, 2023, the unconditional cash given to vulnerable households such as the two women described is lifesaving.

According to the cash recipients in the community the vulnerable population survive on food from NGOs and the little food they received, they share with visitors (i.e. returnees from the conflict in Sudan and Ethiopia who come to stay with distant relatives) or neighbors who have not received support.

Though both women agree their main challenge is that they have fewer costumers than they had hoped because people do not have money; and that due to inflation the amount received is too little.