JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN—In a significant policy reversal, the government of South Sudan has responded to a U.N. appeal and reversed its decision to impose taxes and fees on humanitarian services and products.
Political violence in Sudan is forcing thousands of refugees, many of them children, to neighboring South Sudan for safety. There, they face a different threat — a collapsing healthcare system unable to provide them with the services they need. Sheila Ponnie reports from Renk, Upper Nile State, South Sudan.
South Sudan’s economy is facing hyperinflation, leading to the devaluation of the local currency. As the country relies heavily on imports for basic commodities, soaring prices have left the more than 11 million people on the brink of hunger. Sheila Ponnie reports from South Sudan’s Aweil County of Northern Bhar el Ghazal State, about how a group of local farmers are able to meet their daily needs.
He also promises to resettle IDP population
The ongoing conflict in South Sudan has displaced thousands of citizens, many of whom escaped to refugee camps to find peace. Pope Francis, who arrived in Juba Friday, will meet with internally displaced persons on Saturday. Reporter Sheila Ponnie spoke to two internally displaced South Sudanese about their expectations for the pope's visit.
Authorities in South Sudan say the East African nation is ready to host Pope Francis who is scheduled to arrive in Juba Friday and meet with leaders, diplomats and victims of unrest, which has left 2 million people displaced from their homes. For more on the preparations, VOA’s Sheila Ponnie speaks to authorities from the capital, Juba.
Kenyan and Ugandan truck drivers went on strike in August, stifling commerce along the Uganda/South Sudan border
Tens of thousands of Sudanese adults are in school, learning to read and write
Activist group teaches students menstrual health and hygiene to remove ‘period stigma’
Luol Deng plans to build a basketball academy in the battle-scarred nation
South Sudanese technology firms have launched the country's first mobile money transfer platform, M-Gurush. It allows customers to pay for goods and services across South Sudan, similar to platforms in Kenya and other African countries.
Last year's fragile peace deal eases food delivery, raises hopes for self-sufficiency
Eight years after South Sudan's independence, hunger continues to plague the world’s youngest nation. A recent United Nations report shows nearly half the population – 6.1 million people – are facing some degree of food insecurity. Sheila Ponnie looks at the challenges from the Upper Nile Region of South Sudan
