Monthly Archives: July 2011

On Saturday 9th July, the Republic of South Sudan became an independent country. Sara-Lukey Smith, a World Vision UK aid worker tells us what happened on the day and the hopes the citizens hold for the future.

Words like ‘incredible’ and ‘amazing’ are frequently overused, but this weekend in Juba really was just that. It was remarkable to have been able to witness this ‘birth of a nation’ – the proceedings and the celebrations.

As Friday evening progressed, the streets filled with vehicles and people. Motorbikes with coloured flashing lights and cars crammed with people inside and out whizzed past waving flags and sounding their horns, while pedestrians looked on and cheered. Six months on after the referendum, their vote was to be realised and the world’s newest state, the Republic of South Sudan, created.

The atmosphere was equally electric at the John Garang Memorial on Saturday. Tens of thousands of people came together to see the raising of the flag and the speeches from national and international political leaders. Away from the grandstand, we walked through the crowds and stood quite mesmerised by the traditional dancers, the drummers striking the beats and their apparently endless stamina through the scorching heat of the day. Under the shade of canopies, mothers stood with their children finely dressed and waiting patiently for the proceedings to begin. Each time the rallying call came over the speakers, the crowds responded excitedly waving a sea of flags small and large in the air.

South Sudan undoubtedly has huge challenges ahead in terms of bringing peace, security and development to its citizens. It has to create all the additional structures and systems required of a state, while simultaneously building a cohesive nation. Expectations among its citizens are high, yet it will take many more years toroll out quality basic services and extend economic opportunities to all. Sustained support from donor governments, multilateral organisations and NGOs will be vital. On Saturday pledges of support from world leaders flooded in, and I hope that they live up to this rhetoric. World Vision remains committed to ensuring that every child here grows up in a stable environment with access to food and clean water, a quality education and decent health care.

That aside, this weekend has been an incredible time for the people of South Sudan to recognise and celebrate what has been achieved so far.

While Juba’s buzzing, the long drive back from Western Equatoria yesterday gave me time to reflect. Starting off in Yambio, the state capital, it’s the typical scene many back home in the UK probably imagine – clusters of tukuls (the traditional thatched huts) overshadowed by majestic leafy trees and surrounded by lush green vegetation. Intersecting this is a marrom road, the main artery of the state, along which travel men on bicycles and women on foot often with their children in tow. While to the eye this may seem an easier environment to live in than say the drier, dustier states of Southern Sudan, look deeper at the health statistics and a different picture emerges for these women and children. Western Equatoria has the highest maternal, newborn and child mortality rates of all the 10 states of Southern Sudan and the highest maternal mortality rate in the world. According to the most recent figures, 2054 mothers die per 100,000 live births in Southern Sudan and this figure rises to 2327 in Western Equatoria. To help put this into perspective, the UK maternal mortality rate is 12 per 100,000 live births.

Speaking with expectant mothers and midwives, the same issues arise again and again. This includes the long journey times to health facilities, due to both the distance and lack of transport. Some women were walking over five hours each way. Then once at the health facility; the shortage of drugs, equipment and staff… It’s estimated that there are only 100 certified midwives in the whole of Southern Sudan, in a population of over 8 million this is roughly 1 midwife per 80,000 people. Given the limited education that the vast majority of the population have received, there’s also a real lack of understanding on the need for ante- and post-natal care for mothers. Addressing both the demand and supply side of health services will be key to improving mother and child health here.

Dr Madeleine who runs World Vision’s health projects in Western Equatoria is exactly what’s needed – she’s skilled and passionate. As part of new project funding, she explains to the local communities that we’ll be training three midwives, as well as home health promoters, traditional birth attendants and the mothers themselves. But what about the numerous other communities who live far away from the marrom road and who currently remain inaccessible? It’s estimated that only 20% of the population of Southern Sudan have access to basic services.

At the same time as weighing up the substantial developmental challenges that the new republic will face, one must also keep in mind just how far Southern Sudan has come since the signing of the peace agreement. On the drive back yesterday my colleague reminded me of that, recounting his childhood spent ‘in the bush’ during the war and then as a refugee in neighbouring Uganda. While the international media spotlight will likely shine on the new republic over the next few days, then fade away, with the sustained support of the international community over the coming years and decades progress can and will continue to be made.