South Sudanese Women’s Harvest Combating Food Insecurity in Mayom

Angelina Nyabany in her backyard garden in Mayom County, Unity State. CARE South Sudan/Kenyi Evans

In Mayom County, South Sudan, conflict, flooding, and economic instability have pushed thousands into the grip of severe food insecurity and malnutrition. Families face a relentless struggle to survive. According to reports, South Sudan's Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) levels remain alarmingly high, with 46 out of 80 counties, including Mayom County, exceeding the WHO emergency threshold of 15%. Women and girls face heightened vulnerability across all aspects of food security, including availability, access, utilization, and stability. Women like 50-year-old Angelina Nyabany Wadar, a mother of three, faced impossible choices: skipping meals to feed her children, scavenging for wild foods, and watching helplessly as malnutrition threatened the lives of her little ones. Angelina was displaced by flooding that submerged her home and crops in Loath.

Angelina's life took a dramatic turn when she developed Brucellosis, a bacterial disease that mainly affects animals and can be directly transferred to humans. The lack of proper medical care left her with a disability that paralyzed her bones. "It was not easy to access medication due to insecurity, and health facilities were so poor," Angelina recalls. With her husband, a farmer, trapped in Loath, the flood-displaced village, Angelina relied heavily on her brother and mother for support. "We often ate remains of maize and water lilies from the river," she says.

Hope arrived through a community outreach that introduced Angelina to CARE South Sudan’s life-changing initiative, that provided food assistance to the most vulnerable households. "I was motivated to join because I needed assistance for my children," she explained. Angeline’s family was one of the 7,800 people selected to receive food vouchers, valued at 5,000 SSP each (equivalent to $50). The impact was immediate and profound. Families could use the food vouchers to exchange for maize, sorghum, and cooking oil—staples that would sustain them for two months.

"The distribution of food vouchers has significantly improved our food supply, allowing us to eat better," Angelina narrated. At the same time, CARE South Sudan established eight demonstration gardens to empower families to grow their own vegetables and take charge of their families’ nutritional needs. The demonstration gardens enabled community members like Angeline to learn the practicality of farming. Five of these gardens were managed by Mother-to-Mother Support Groups (MtMSGs) near key nutrition sites. The remaining three were developed in collaboration with local churches—the Seven Day Adventist Church, Presbyterian Church, and Catholic Church.

Angeline, alongside 240 women, received vegetable seeds to start her kitchen garden. With practical insights shown in the demonstration gardens, Angelina learned about key nutritious vegetables and skills to maintain long-term sustainable food security for her family. “My kitchen garden has benefited my household, and I believe it will continue to provide food after the project ends. I plan to expand my garden and teach others in my community," she says enthusiastically. " I now have the confidence to take control of my family's nutrition," she states.

CARE South Sudan also focused on educating pregnant and lactating women, mothers, and caregivers of children under five. Angeline was one of the 3,675 women who got the opportunity to attend the sessions where she learned about the importance of nutrition, how to protect her children’s health and the dangers of Gender-Based Violence (GBV). Additionally, 6,871 women were empowered with crucial information that would help them safeguard their families and build healthier futures.

Reflecting on her journey, the project was more than just a lifeline—it was a chance to reclaim their lives, their dignity, and their future. The support offered has been a lifeline for families like Angelina's, providing not just food but hope and the tools to rebuild their lives.