South Sudan: The History of a Young Country in Crisis

While most of its people long for peace, the brief history of South Sudan as Africa’s youngest nation is marred by wars and instability. The country had scarcely recovered from attempted genocide during the brutal reign of Sudan’s dictator, Omar al Bashir, when it won a protracted war to become a new nation of its own. While most of South Sudan was unified during its war for independence, the new country found itself facing its own challenges of division, comprised of at least 64 different tribes and ethnic groups. Unity has remained elusive and peace short-lived.

Decades of War between North and South

Before South Sudan’s independence, long periods of civil wars historically raged between the northern and southern peoples of Sudan, with a predominantly Muslim north, and a diverse Catholic and animist population in the south. Stronger infrastructure in northern Sudan also contrasted with a greater rural and agrarian lifestyle characterizing much of the southern population.

Following a ten-year reprieve when the Addis Ababa accord ended the first civil war, South Sudan once again fought for sovereignty against its northern neighbor, and liberation from oppressive sharia law. This bloody battle waged for many years, from 1983 until 2005.

A tentative peace agreement between north and south was finally achieved more than 20 years later in 2005, but not until over 2 million people had been killed and 4 million refugees were displaced inside and outside the nation. Years of grueling battles destroyed the economy, infrastructure, and farmlands, creating a humanitarian catastrophe for the new nation to inherit.

Independence and Civil War within South Sudan

The tentative peace agreement of 2005 laid the groundwork for South Sudan’s independence, which would be officially recognized in 2011. But the much hoped-for times of peace and liberation were fleeting. Relations between Sudan and South Sudan remained volatile, particularly concerning oil resources and disputed border territories.

Internally, a fragile coalition in the new nation’s government would not stay together. By 2013 a new civil war erupted, this time within South Sudan itself, when the president alleged that a coalition backing the vice president attempted a coup to overthrow his government.

Five years of brutal civil war ensued, further dismantling what was left of South Sudan’s resources and infrastructure, and beleaguering its war-weary people. In 2018, government and opposition forces reached a tentative power sharing agreement to end the civil war.

Humanitarian Concerns

The fallout from years of fighting and violence has taken a toll on this country, resulting in widespread humanitarian crises. A snapshot of the nation’s condition shows how dire the situation in South Sudan is the poorest country in the world and is ranked among the most dangerous countries in the world for humanitarian workers.

An Epidemic of Orphans

A staggering amount of South Sudan’s children have become orphans. It’s estimated that half of South Sudan’s two million refugees are children, and at least 60 percent of those are abandoned or orphaned.

Education Crisis

Seventy percent of the nation’s children don’t attend school, with South Sudan having the third worst literacy rate in the world. Seventy percent of the country’s adults cannot read or write. Literacy among women and girls is even worse, with a dismal 84 percent of girls over age 15 being considered illiterate – one of the lowest literacy rates globally.

Food Insecurity

The nation now faces an even more timely crisis: the threat of catastrophic food insecurity on a level feared to escalate into an epic humanitarian tragedy. Nearly 8 million people are predicted to suffer severe malnourishment this year – that’s 2 out of every 3 men, women, and children living in South Sudan. Famine has been declared across the northern border in Sudan, where deaths from starvation are already happening.

A lethal combination of floods, drought, cuts in international aid, internal violence, and trade route interruptions from war in Ukraine have all multiplied to decimate the food supply, and inflate prices of existing product to unattainable levels. An influx of refugees coming into South Sudan has put an even greater strain on meager food supplies.

Civil War in Sudan

Refugee Crisis in South Sudan

Since April of 2023, the civil war that erupted in Sudan has brought more than a million refugees into South Sudan – a nation already reeling under its own humanitarian crises. Food shortages, lack of clean water and sanitation, and overcrowding in some refugee camps contribute to disease outbreaks like cholera, which rapidly spread across South Sudan in early 2025.

Devastation in Sudan

The effects of Sudan’s civil war have been utterly devastating on the nation. A staggering 13 million people are displaced, more than 8.5 million inside the country, and over 3 million people have fled across borders into neighboring countries.

Fighting has decimated Sudan’s infrastructure. Most hospitals are closed and commerce is at a halt. Sudan’s capital city of Khartoum lies in ruins. Food production has been interrupted, sparking a massive famine. Supply routes are controlled by militia, preventing civilians from obtaining food and supplies needed to survive. In some refugee camps and parts of the country, children and other vulnerable are dying from starvation. War crimes are rampant and evidence of chemical weapons use has surfaced.

Hundreds of thousands have fled to the remote Nuba Mountains of Sudan, trying to escape the fighting. But hunger, drought, and lack of resources threatens widespread starvation.

Responding to the Needs

While much of the world has ignored the tragedy that’s become the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, Sudan Relief Fund is committed to staying on the ground to serve those in need.

Mother of Mercy Hospital in the Nuba Mountains remains open to serve the massive influx of malnourished and injured people escaping the war. Sudan Relief Fund has been overseeing emergency food distribution with shipments of Plumpy’Nut – a concentrated nutritional paste used by doctors and NGOs to treat the severely malnourished – along with critical medicines to keep Mother of Mercy supplied, one of the few hospitals still open in the war torn country. We are committed to serving people in distress throughout the duration of this crisis.

Creating Hope

But we are no stranger to responding to crises in the region. Since 1998, Sudan Relief Fund has been on the ground working tirelessly to provide lifesaving help to people in desperate circumstances, and to lay the groundwork for long term solutions.

Sudan Relief Fund is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to bringing food, clean water, clothing, shelter, medical attention, education, and hope to the people of South Sudan. Since our beginning, with the prayers and donations of faithful supporters, we have made very real and tangible progress under some of the most difficult circumstances imaginable.

With our networks and partnerships on the ground, Sudan Relief Fund is uniquely able to deliver help to those in crises, quickly getting aid to those who need it.

How You Can Help

Together, it’s remarkable what can be accomplished, even in the face of such challenges. Sudan Relief Fund supports projects such as hospitals, schools, children’s homes, trauma rehabilitation centers, food and clean water initiatives, among many others. We’ve had the privilege of seeing lives saved, communities turned around, hearts restored, and hope created for a better future in this nation.

Each of these programs are made possible by donor support and prayers. With your partnership, we can continue our mission to save lives, relieve suffering, and bring transformational aid to people in desperate need.

Your gifts are changing lives and making a lasting impact for families in a forgotten part of the world. If you would like to take part in this vital work, learn how easy it is to make an incredible difference.

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