South Sudan crisis

One year on from independence, the crisis in South Sudan is the worst it's been since the end of the war in 2005.

Half of the country's 9.7 million people do not have enough to eat, the price of food and fuel has reached unprecedented levels, and refugees continue to flee fighting on the border with Sudan.

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Updates from Oxfam

On the ground

Ongoing conflicts and the economic catastrophe are threatening to undermine long-term development, emergency aid, and South Sudan's vast potential.

So far more than 205,000 refugees have been fleeing fighting in South Kordofan province, crossing into South Sudan which became independent from the North in 2011. The onset of the rainy season is also now making life much harder in camps like this one (pictured right) in Jamam.

Blog: "The world must step in to avert South Sudan crisis"

South Sudan is increasingly reliant on emergency aid, with double the number of people in need of food aid compared to last year. The country needs urgent support to respond to the humanitarian crisis now and be able to provide enough food, water and essential services to its people over the coming years.

You can help: Donate to Oxfam's South Sudan response

What Oxfam is doing

Oxfam moved staff and supplies in to the area in late 2011 in anticipation that a big influx of people could come as the fighting in Blue Nile intensified.

In December 2011 we chartered three planes from Juba (the capital of South Sudan) to bring up staff, food, camping equipment, and equipment such as generators, submersible pumps and water pipes.

Blog: Getting water to thousands of refugees in Upper Nile

We are currently providing essential services in the form of clean water and basic sanitation to 32,000 people in Upper Nile region. We are also providing cash relief to help people through rising food prices, supporting people to improve their skills and job opportunities and lobbying for political change.

Donate to Oxfam's South Sudan response

Photo gallery: Oxfam's response

Photo 1/10 photo by: John Ferguson

Thousands of people have been fleeing fighting in Sudan's Blue Nile region, crossing into Jamam village in South Sudan where Oxfam is providing emergency water and sanitation support. Here, women and children queue to collect water from a water point in Jamam refugee camp.