Germany provides €20 million additional Funding to Build Community Resilience in South Sudan

JUBA, South Sudan 9 February 2024 – The German Government provided an additional contribution of €20 million to UNICEF and WFP for the Joint Resilience Project in South Sudan. The generous contribution was channelled through the KfW Development Bank and enables the extension and expansion of services to improve and build community resilience in targeted urban and peri-urban areas of the country. 

With this new contribution, Germany increased its support for the Joint Resilience Project, initially launched in December 2019. The project is designed to enhance community resilience to shocks and stressors in South Sudan by increasing access and use of a broad range of services. These include education, child protection, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), health, nutrition, food security, and livelihood services.

Christian Sedat, the Ambassador of Germany in South Sudan, said, “Germany’s financial contribution to the Joint Resilience Project now amounts to a total of €112 million, making it one of the flagship projects of German Development Cooperation in South Sudan. Germany is proud to fund this project, which helps to improve the livelihoods of more than half a million South Sudanese people. Through the collaboration of our implementing partners, UNICEF and WFP, we are able to provide much-needed basic services. ”Implemented in Juba, Torit, Yambio, and Aweil, the project's activities encompass the rehabilitation of schools, the installation of water and sanitation facilities, the provision of daily school meals, immunizations, and training for teachers and health and nutrition workers.

"We are immensely thankful to the German Government for this continued support. With these funds, UNICEF can further its efforts in providing vital services to children and families in South Sudan, ensuring they have the services, community resources, and structures to cope with and adapt to various challenges,” said UNICEF Representative Hamida Lasseko.

WFP’s Country Director in South Sudan, Mary-Ellen McGroarty added, “This programme is extremely important to build long-term resilience and food security in South Sudan as it supports families through all their life stages. From malnourished children and students at schools through to working adults, the programme ensures no one is left behind."

The project has already supported over 51,000 school children for their education through scholastic materials, teacher training, and school meals. Almost 405,000 children and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers benefited from support to treat and prevent malnutrition, and nearly 48,000 farmers were supported with resilience-building activities. The project has also supported the construction of water and sanitation facilities in 52 schools and 47 health facilities.

Since its inception, the Joint Resilience Project has made significant progress in improving the living conditions and resilience of communities in the targeted areas, which are characterised by their potential for large-scale returns/relocations of IDPs and refugees, relative stability, and the presence of complementary resilience projects with other UN agencies. 

Thanks to the additional funding by the German Government, UNICEF and WFP will continue to work closely with the communities, the Government of South Sudan, and other stakeholders to ensure further implementation of the project, ultimately contributing to a more resilient and sustainable future for communities in South Sudan.