By Catherine Ndungu
Akon Chuei Mudok was one of thousands forced to migrate to the north of Sudan from her home in the south, fleeing the civil war which ravaged the country for more than 20 years. In 2011, Akon returned home following a referendum that saw South Sudan gain independence from the north. She now lives with her three children in Referendum Estate in Nyamlel, Aweil West County, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, alongside more than 1000 other returnee households. Returnees have access to few livelihood opportunities and depend on firewood collection, charcoal burning, grass cutting (used for roofing) petty trade and casual labor to provide an income. Akon has no formal qualifications and earns her living through petty trade. Her income is not enough to cover high food prices, healthcare and the necessary tools to start new livelihood activities such as farming. As an area of extreme food insecurity, Northern Bahr el Ghazal is faced with constant food shortages.
In 2012, Adeso began to implement the Livelihood Support for Returnees and Vulnerable Host Communities (LSRVHC) project in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, South Sudan, with funding from the Common Humanitarian Fund (CHF). The project targets 10,500 individuals (1500 households) and aims to improve food security within the region by addressing food shortages while relieving pressure on households caused by high market prices. The project supports local communities in diversifying their livelihood opportunities and includes activities such as agricultural training and seed and tool distribution.
As part of the LSRVHC project in Nyamlel, community members selected individuals from within Referendum Estate to take part in a Farming and Livestock Management Committee. Akon was one of those nominated, and subsequently received a five day training in crop production. “Adeso taught me how to grow crops and vegetables and how to manage the land. With the skills I have got I have started to prune my guava tree and it has started producing new leaves,” she says. Akon plans to use what she has learned to help others within the community: “I now plan to train my neighbors and open new land for farming activities as soon as the season begins using the skills learned from Adeso training”.
Akon aims to continue her petty trade work alongside agricultural activities. She currently lives in a makeshift shelter, but plans to improve her housing with the additional income she will earn. “When I build a permanent house, I want enough room to construct a vegetable garden to help diversify the diet for my children and me”, she says, with her sights now set firmly on the future.