AVSI has been present in South Sudan for more than three decades, accompanying communities affected by conflict, displacement and poverty through an integrated approach that combines emergency response with long-term development. 

Working alongside local communities, authorities and partners, AVSI promotes education, food security, livelihoods, nutrition, protection and peacebuilding to strengthen resilience and create opportunities for a more peaceful future. 

South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation, gained independence in 2011 after decades of conflict. Despite its natural resources and strategic position in East Africa, the country continues to face one of the world’s most complex humanitarian and development crises. 

Years of conflict, political instability, economic fragility and climate change have severely affected livelihoods and access to essential services. Although the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement contributed to reducing large-scale violence, peace remains fragile. Localized conflicts, displacement and insecurity continue to affect communities and limit progress towards lasting stability. 

An estimated 9.3 million people require humanitarian assistance and protection, while more than 7.7 million people face acute food insecurity. Recurrent flooding, droughts, disease outbreaks and economic shocks continue to affect communities, particularly in rural areas where most families depend on agriculture and livestock for their livelihoods. 

The war in neighbouring Sudan, which erupted in April 2023, has further increased pressure on the country. More than one million refugees and returning South Sudanese have crossed into South Sudan, placing additional pressure on public services, infrastructure and host communities, especially in border areas and urban centres. 

Despite these challenges, South Sudan has significant potential for recovery. Investing in education, agriculture, livelihoods, local capacities, and social cohesion is essential to strengthenresilience, create economic opportunities, and support communities in building a more peaceful future. 

AVSI’s engagement in South Sudan began in 1992, when the territory was still part of Sudan and affected by conflict. During the 1990s, AVSI supported communities affected by displacement and conflict, including people fleeing violence in Uganda and returning or relocating to what was then Southern Sudan. In 2005, AVSI established its first field office in Isohe, Eastern Equatoria, in the territory that would become the Republic of South Sudan after independence in 2011. 

Over more than three decades of presence, AVSI has developed a deep understanding of the country’s complex context and built strong relationships with communities, local authoritiesand national institutions. This long-term commitment is a key strength of AVSI’s work: in fragile environments affected by recurrent crises, trust-based partnerships and local ownership areessential to achieving sustainable impact. 

Today, AVSI operates in Eastern Equatoria, Central Equatoria and Lakes States, supporting vulnerable communities through an integrated approach that combines humanitarian responsewith resilience-building and development initiatives. With 97% of its workforce composed of national staff, AVSI combines strong local knowledge with technical expertise, ensuring continuity and culturally relevant interventions, including in remote and underserved areas. 

AVSI’s programmes focus on improving access to quality education, strengthening livelihoods and food security, improving nutrition outcomes, and promoting protection and social inclusion. Working with pastoralist communities, refugees, returnees, internally displaced people and host communities, AVSI supports people not only in addressing immediate needs but also in building the capacity to face future challenges.

Education is at the heart of AVSI’s mission in South Sudan and represents a key driver of resilience, social cohesion and long-term peace. In a context marked by conflict, displacement andlimited access to services, education is not only a fundamental right but also an investment in stability, helping children and young people develop the skills, confidence and opportunitiesneeded to build peaceful futures. 

AVSI works to expand access to quality education, from early childhood development to technical and vocational education and training (TVET), while addressing social, cultural and economic barriers that prevent children from attending and completing school. Through a community-based approach, AVSI works closely with schools, families, parent-teacher associationsand local authorities to strengthen ownership and develop solutions adapted to local realities. 

For more than two decades, AVSI has supported education in some of the most underserved areas of South Sudan, particularly in Eastern and Central Equatoria and Lakes States. AVSI has supported nearly 50 schools by strengthening teaching quality through teacher training, providing learning materials, supporting school management structures and promoting safe and inclusive learning environments. 

In Eastern Equatoria, particularly in Kapoeta North and Kapoeta East, AVSI has demonstrated that quality education can reach highly mobile pastoralist communities through locally adapted approaches. These efforts have contributed to improved school participation, including 96% attendance, 100% retention of girls in education and 98% of learners reporting that they feel safe at school. 

A key example is the Good Shepherd Day – Nanyangachor Primary School, established by AVSI in 2023 in one of the most remote areas of South Sudan, home to the Toposa pastoralist community. Through school rehabilitation, teacher support, learning materials and community mobilisation, AVSI has helped expand access to education for children previously excluded from formal learning opportunities. 

AVSI also promotes a holistic approach to education, recognising that children learn best in safe environments where protection, nutrition and wellbeing are addressed. Support to boarding schools and learning spaces includes school feeding, child protection, psychosocial support and attention to the specific needs of girls and vulnerable children. 

Beyond schools, AVSI engages families and communities through awareness activities, parent teacher associations and community dialogue to promote the value of education, particularly for girls. Initiatives such as school gardens combine education, nutrition and livelihoods by teaching agricultural practices, improving dietary diversity and strengthening household resilience. 

By combining quality learning, community participation and protection, AVSI contributes to an education system that expands opportunities for children while strengthening the foundations for peace and resilience. 

South Sudan faces one of the world’s most severe food security crises, driven by conflict, displacement, economic instability and the growing impacts of climate change. Agriculture remainsthe main source of livelihood for most of the population, with communities relying on crop production, livestock and, to a lesser extent, fisheries and agroforestry. However, limited access to quality inputs, low levels of mechanisation, climate-related shocks and weak market connections continue to affect agricultural productivity and household resilience. 

AVSI supports rural communities by promoting sustainable agriculture, climate-smart practices and stronger local food systems. Rather than focusing only on increasing production, AVSI adopts a market-oriented approach that connects farmers, producer groups and small businesses with skills, services and market opportunities, enabling communities to generate sustainable income and improve access to nutritious food. 

Through technical training, demonstration plots, farmer field schools and support to producer organisations, AVSI promotes improved agricultural practices, diversified production and environmentally sustainable solutions adapted to local conditions. These interventions contribute to increased productivity, improved household incomes and stronger resilience among smallholder farmers, returnees and host communities. 

AVSI also strengthens local economies by supporting value chains, cooperatives and connections with markets and service providers. By combining agricultural development, entrepreneurship and market access, AVSI helps communities move beyond subsistence production towards sustainable economic opportunities and greater self-reliance. 

Skills development is another important component of AVSI’s approach. Through vocational education and training, AVSI supports young people and vulnerable adults in acquiringpractical skills linked to local economic opportunities, including agriculture, renewable energy and other productive sectors. By connecting training with market needs, AVSI helps translate skills into employment and entrepreneurship opportunities. 

Climate change continues to increase vulnerabilities in South Sudan, affecting agricultural production, water availability and nutrition. Alongside livelihood interventions, AVSI supports communities in improving access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene services, strengthening their ability to adapt to environmental challenges and protect their livelihoods. 

In a context shaped by decades of conflict, displacement and competition over natural resources, sustainable development in South Sudan cannot be achieved without strengthening peace and social cohesion. AVSI integrates peacebuilding across its interventions, recognising that lasting solutions must be built with communities and rooted in trust, dialogue and shared responsibility. 

AVSI promotes community-led approaches that bring together displaced people, returnees, refugees and host communities to address sources of tension, strengthen relationships and create opportunities for peaceful coexistence. Through inclusive dialogue, community participation and conflict-sensitive programming, AVSI supports local actors in identifying challenges, managing disputes and developing solutions adapted to their realities. 

In areas affected by tensions between different groups, AVSI facilitates dialogue and cooperation around shared resources, including land and livelihoods, helping communities find peaceful ways to manage competing needs. Schools, community spaces and joint economic initiatives become opportunities to rebuild trust and strengthen social cohesion. 

AVSI’s experience shows that peace is reinforced when communities have access to education, livelihoods and essential services. By combining peacebuilding with interventions in education, protection, agriculture and economic empowerment, AVSI contributes to preventing conflict and supporting communities in building a more stable, resilient and peaceful South Sudan.