In pictures: Livelihoods in Lakes State

Oxfam supports women’s groups to set up small-scale community farms. Panina Abui is one of 55 women farmers in the village of Nuktamanga: “Oxfam gave us lots of supplies. The group owns the land and all the equipment communally – we share everything between us, including the profits. Our main crops are onions and sorghum – we eat what we need and then sell the rest in the market. We use the money to buy things like clothes for the children. Next we are going to buy a sewing machine for the village.”

Photo: Alun McDonald

Throughout Lakes State, people harvest sorghum to make flour and assida, a type of porridge and one of Sudan’s most popular dishes. But the sorghum here takes nine months to grow. With drought and floods common, the longer the crop is growing, the more chance there is for something to go wrong. Oxfam recently introduced new fast-growing seeds which mature in just three months. "Having crops grow quicker really helps to improve people’s food security. Next year we hope to expand the area, and also explore some other new seeds,” explains Peter Balr Manzara from Domollotto.

Photo: Alun McDonald

Oxfam provides small cash grants to help aspiring entrepreneurs like Reuben Makwek who borrowed $300 to set up a small shop in his remote village. “We sell everything people might want or need. We have soda, sugar, groundnuts… even batteries and bicycle pedals. We open every day from 8am until sunset. The biggest challenge is transporting supplies – it’s expensive and difficult as our village is miles from the road. But despite the expense, we still have many customers – it’s a long way to any other shop!” 

Photo: Alun McDonald

Zalina Tabor and her daughter Maria eat freshly grown tomatoes in Doteku village. Oxfam is supporting women here to grow vegetables such as tomatoes and okra. It improves the diet of the local children, and the women can sell what’s left over in the market.

Photo: Alun McDonald

During the day, Josep Maroldut works in an Oxfam-supported grinding mill, pounding grain until it is fine enough to make into bread. After work, he goes to a new adult literacy class in his village, run by one of Oxfam’s local partners.

"There are 20 people in the class, and none of us have been to school before. We’re learning English and Dinka. Education will build the future of the new Sudan. All of our children go to school, and we want to make sure they get the most of the opportunities we never had. When they graduate they will earn good money, get a good job, and be able to help the community. Maybe my son will be able to buy us a bigger, better grinding mill!"

Photo: Alun McDonald

Since the peace agreement, many southern Sudanese refugees have begun to return to their homes. But despite the fragile peace, numerous challenges await. Unemployment is high, as is the cost of living as so many goods have to be imported.

Abraham Wal Majok recently returned to Lakes State: “I came back to Sudan six months ago. I’ve been away for 16 years, but this is my home, and they say that home is the sweetest! That’s true, but life is very hard here. I’ve been working as a warehouse assistant for Oxfam, but it’s only on a casual basis. I really need a permanent job and a regular income if I am to be able to support myself and have a good life.”

Photo: Alun McDonald

The lack of good roads and infrastructure provides communities with many challenges. Priscilla Ajok is from the small village of Doteku:

“We are living in the forest, a long way from anywhere. It’s 17 miles to the main road, and it takes about four hours to walk. In the rainy season the whole area floods. Last year we really suffered – the sorghum crops failed and the fruit trees were all destroyed. We have seen some improvements since the peace agreement. There is a small school nearby, and a clinic where minor sicknesses can be treated. But there is still a lack of infrastructure and we still feel very isolated.”

Photo: Alun McDonald

Marsa Achol Majok lives in a small village called Kombi: “We were lucky to survive the war – it was very dangerous in this area. We had to flee our homes and only returned last year.

We used to grow sorghum and sesame. Now Oxfam has given us new vegetable seeds to try – this is the first time we have grown vegetables here. The tomato, okra and onion seeds have been very useful. We dry the okra and store it for the family to eat when there is little food available. The rest we sell in the market. Oxfam also gave us a bicycle so that we can travel to market – it takes between 2-3 hours to ride there.”

Photo: Alun McDonald