In Pictures

South Sudan: Building an oasis for the approaching drought

Residents of a village in South Sudan are digging a pond to ensure survival of their livestock in the dry season.

Villagers work to rehabilitate a dry season pond through a food-for-assets initiative in Jonglei State, South Sudan. [Will Baxter/CRS]

25 Jul 2019

Ruar Leek, South Sudan – Ruar Leek village in Jonglei state suffers from harsh drought during South Sudan’s dry season, leaving the earth parched and the local watering holes empty.

Pastoralist herders can be forced to drive their cattle for kilometres to access water and green pasture.

But now, the village is collaborating to find a solution that will provide enough water to help sustain Ruar Leek through the dry months.

“We’re digging a pond so that our cattle can get water nearby,” said James Jongkuch Nyang.

The civil war in South Sudan has not only resulted in huge death and displacement figures, but has also destroyed facilities such as schools and clinics, while the lack of state services has allowed other infrastructure to fall into disrepair.

James Jongkuch Nyang, 55, walks through the empty Mabil water pond in Ruar Leek village. Much of South Sudan suffers from harsh drought during the dry season. When small water sources such as this dry up during the lean months, it can leave entire communities with little access to water. [Will Baxter/CRS]

Nyang walks among his cattle in Ruar Leek village. A more substantial local water source could help these people keep their livestock healthy. 'We've experienced a lot of problems, especially last year when most of the cattle died due to lack of water,' said James. 'There are only seven, or maybe 70 [cattle left]. We don’t like counting cattle,' he said explaining that in South Sudan herders are superstitious that if you start counting your cattle, one of them may end up dying. [Will Baxter/CRS]

In April, the Ruar Leek community began work to expand the Mabil pond. 'The biggest benefit of this water pond is that my cattle are going to increase in number. With the availability of water, most of my cattle will not be lost, they will reproduce well, and then I will have more cattle in the long run,' said James. [Will Baxter/CRS]

Villagers use pickaxes and shovels to deepen Mabil pond. Some 316 members of the Ruar Leek community are working to expand the pond. [Will Baxter/CRS]

A woman uses her hands to collect loose dirt to remove from Mabil pond. In return for completing the project, which is estimated to require 80 hours of labour per worker over 20 days, each person taking part in the food-for-assets programme receives 50kg of sorghum, five kilogrammes of yellow split peas, and three kilogrammes of vegetable oil. [Will Baxter/CRS]

Anyieth Garang (in orange) carries a container of earth out of the pond. Garang, who lost her husband when the village was attacked during the 2013 conflict, said that water from the pond would greatly reduce the burden on households headed by women such as herself. [Will Baxter/CRS]

Garang puts dishes on a drying rack at the compound where she keeps her family’s cattle in Ruar Leek village. 'The real challenge now is that there is no one to take my cattle to the Toch,' she said, referring to the grassy swamps along the banks of the Nile. 'My sons are busy building and repairing the houses, so there is no one to look after the cattle there.' [Will Baxter/CRS]

Garang talks to another woman in Ruar Leek village. 'The pond will help me because it will bring water closer, and the cattle and goats will be able to have water nearby in the dry season. We can also use the water for domestic activities,' said Garang. [Will Baxter/CRS]

A man rubs ash on one of his family's cattle in Ruar Leek village. 'It is dangerous to move with the cattle from here to the riverside,' said Simon Anyang Koryom, Ruar Leek village chief. 'It is quite a bit of a distance, and along the way you can be ambushed and killed, or your cattle can be taken away. In the grazing grounds, there are also a lot of thieves.' [Will Baxter/CRS]

Nyang gathers up cow manure to dry for fuel on his homestead in Ruar Leek village. James prefers to keep his cattle on his homestead rather than take them to the riverside, and says that parasitic diseases, such as theileriosis - or East Coast fever, are an even greater threat than bandits. 'I don't have the money to buy medication for my cattle if they get sick,' said Nyang. [Will Baxter/CRS]

A woman milks a cow in the village. In a country where people in rural areas have little to no access to financial or savings institutions, livestock serve as an asset and investment that can easily be cashed in if needed. Most households in Greater Jonglei raise goats or cattle if they have the means, which makes livestock a key element of the local economy. [Will Baxter/CRS]

Mary Nyanjok Puoch, a 35-year-old single mother of six, walks with her herd of goats outside Bor town. 'The goats are my bank. I don't have any other kind of bank. I can sell one at any time to get the money I need to feed my children,' said Mary. [Will Baxter/CRS]

A boy washes a container while cattle drink from the run-off at a borehole in Thonawai village, Bor County, Jonglei State, South Sudan. [Will Baxter/CRS]

Villagers prepare to head home after a morning of working to rehabilitate a dry season pond. 'This project is helping us a lot with the development of our village and creating assets which can be used in the future,' said Ruar Leek village chief Simon Anyang Koryom, noting that other communities across Greater Jonglei are involved in similar initiatives. [Will Baxter/CRS]