74-year-old Aguek Kiir sits outside his small tukul in the shade of a mango tree. Fishing nets hang from wooden poles nearby, chickens wander through the yard, and the smell of woodsmoke drifts in the air. His face is lined with years of hardship, but his eyes are lively and welcoming.
Not long ago, he says, his family had reached their worst moment.
When everything fell apart
For Aguek, farming and small-scale fishing had always been the foundation of life in Nyongkuach Payam, Baliet County. But in recent years, that foundation gave way. Floods destroyed his crops. Armed conflict in neighbouring Nasir and Ulang closed markets and cut off trade routes. In 2023, the South Sudanese Pound lost much of its value, and food prices tripled.
“The floods destroyed our crops, and conflict closed the markets,” Aguek recalls. “We were surviving only on fish, leaves, and wild fruits. Sometimes we went for two days without eating.”
The old ways of coping no longer worked. Neighbours used to exchange labour for food, but now nobody had anything to spare. Across the community, older people, widows, and children suffered most.
“It was difficult to see my grandchildren cry of hunger and not have anything to give,” he says.
Cash support and protection in Baliet
This 12-month, EU-funded, cash-based project targeted urgent humanitarian needs in South Sudan by combining multi-purpose cash transfers (MPCT) with critical protection services.
Designed to respond to widespread hunger and increased risk of violence, particularly among returnees, displaced populations, and host communities, the project focused on empowering vulnerable people while preserving dignity and choice.
A choice of his own
Things began to change when DanChurchAid (DCA) and its partner Nile Hope arrived with EU-funded cash and e-voucher assistance for the most vulnerable households in Baliet County.
Aguek remembers the relief he felt when he first heard the news. He was enrolled to receive unconditional assistance through an e-voucher, which he could redeem for goods from local vendors. For him, the most important part was the freedom to decide for himself.
“With the voucher, I bought a bag of sorghum, some salt, cooking oil, and soap,” he says, smiling. “It felt good to choose for my family instead of waiting for someone to decide for us.”
Eating twice a day, planting for tomorrow
The effect on his household was immediate. The hunger eased. His grandchildren could eat twice a day. With the pressure off, Aguek could think beyond the next meal and begin rebuilding his small farm.
“After I received the support, life changed,” he says proudly. “My children could eat twice a day. I even bought a few seeds for planting when the rain came.”
Where his family once relied on borrowing or bartering to get by, they could now plan their spending and make their own decisions, and that gave him back a sense of control and dignity.
Looking ahead
When the next rains arrive, Aguek plans to plant his small plot with the seeds he bought and the savings he set aside. He hopes the support can continue and reach more families, including those in nearby communities such as Adong and Nyongrial. He also notes how far costs have climbed: “Before I could buy several things with the e-voucher – now almost everything is spend on a bag of sorghum.”
Above all, he dreams of a future where his grandchildren grow up in a peaceful community with enough to eat.
About the project
Full Title: Provision of Integrated Protection and MPC Assistance to children, families and communities affected by conflict, floods and severe food insecurity in Upper Nile State and GPAA.
Timeline: March 2025 to March 2026
Partner: Nile Hope
Amount: 1,967,535.00 EUR
DCA Theme: Saving Lives and Fighting Inequality
Expected number of people reached: 27,962
Donor: European Union
