South Sudan Independence
Celebrating South Sudan's Independence
South Sudan endured a generation of civil war and the displacement of millions of its people. Today, as it gains independence as the world's newest country, Mercy Corps is helping its families grow more crops, get job training, open new businesses and prepare for a peaceful, prosperous future.
When Cassandra Nelson first visited southern Sudan in 2005, she found no roads, no markets and little sense of unity. Last month, she returned to find a completely different place. Watch this video to see what's changed:
Some of the People We're Helping
Photo Essay: On the Eve of Independence
Decades of fighting left South Sudan in tatters. Click here for images that illustrate how Mercy Corps is helping its people start over from scratch.
Recent Blog Posts
All stories about South Sudan Independence
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South Sudan: A new nation's first birthday July 10, 2012
Currently working with the Mercy Corps team in South Sudan, I had the honor of being present yesterday as residents celebrated the first year anniversary of their nation's independence.
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South Sudan: Building on hope one year after independence July 9, 2012
South Sudan Country Director Mathieu Rouquette met these two little girls in the market in Bentiu, Unity State, when they peeked their heads into a camera shop that recently received a Mercy Corps business grant.
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South Sudan: From the field: Local market perseveres after attacks June 21, 2012
Mercy Corps staff visit the local market in Bentiu that was damaged in recent aerial attacks, part of the ongoing conflict with Sudan to the north.
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South Sudan: Back to work after bombings June 15, 2012
Much of our work is about giving people the resources they need to build healthy, safe and productive lives for the longterm. To do so in areas where conflict threatens not just livelihoods, but lives, can be especially challenging.
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South Sudan: Fighting prompts staff to evacuate border town April 27, 2012
All but two Mercy Corps staff members have been evacuated from Bentiu, the beleaguered border town that has been in the news recently as the target of Sudanese air strikes.
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South Sudan: An amazing thing to witness July 13, 2011
South Sudan is now the world’s 193rd country, and the newest country in Africa. It is the first time since colonialism that Africans have drawn their own borders.
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South Sudan: The wisdom of chief and bishop July 11, 2011
Last week in South Sudan, I was able to witness the birth of the world’s newest nation. I also got to talk to numerous South Sudanese — many older and far wiser than myself — about excitement and concerns for their country. I’d like to recount a couple of those experiences.
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South Sudan: The importance of an empty building July 8, 2011
In the blur of excitement that is South Sudan’s capital these days, I wasn’t thrilled at the prospect of spending my morning at a civil society project — one of the more nebulous concepts in the world of international development.
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South Sudan: Airport chaos in Juba July 7, 2011
I’d heard the airport in Juba, the capital of the soon-to-be nation of South Sudan, is chronically disorganized. I should have been mentally prepared for the chaos that awaited me yesterday morning. I wasn’t.
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Sudan: An uncertain future for Nyan-man Ajiing and her children July 5, 2011
"I’m a returnee from Khartoum and now a displaced person from Abyei," 30-year-old Nyan-man Ajiing explained.