South Sudan. Adut (28) and Baby Achan (1½) wait to be seen at the WFP supported Alek Nutrition Center in Warrap State.

In this photo Adut (28) and baby Achan (1½) wait to be seen by the medical staff at the Alek Nutrition Center. Adut had a complicated pregnancy and birth with Achan and baby Achan has been receiving food supplements from WFP for malnutrition since the age of 6 months. It’s an hour’s walk to the nutrition center where they come regularly for check-ups and to receive their supplements. South Sudan is facing its hungriest year to date due to conflict, a fourth consecutive year of flooding, and the global food crisis which is causing food and fuel prices to skyrocket. Nearly eight million people (almost 65 percent of the population) are facing severe food insecurity. The situation usually deteriorates during the lean season when food insecurity levels are the most severe, resulting in illness, poor infant and young child feeding practices and restricted access to services due to heavy rainfall. Funding constraints mean WFP is only providing half rations and having to prioritize lifesaving assistance for those closest to famine, being unable to support all the people who otherwise would receive assistance. WFP revises the targeting every year to ensure that the most vulnerable are targeted but unfortunately, the needs are bigger than WFP’s ability to respond due to funding constraints. In Alek, 50 kilometers from Kuajok in Warrap State, WFP, together with Action Against Hunger and other partners, runs a nutrition center that delivers additional nutrition services to treat and prevent acute malnutrition, including active screening, outpatient treatment, supplemental feeding programs, mother-to-mother support groups, health education, and counselling related to mother, infant and young child nutrition. They also do community outreach and education and have a thriving demonstration garden to teach women to supplement their local food reserves and attain self-reliance through local livelihoods.