South Sud...Where?

I live 75 miles east of Yambio, in the southwestern region.



The Republic of South Sudan is the newest nation in the world, gaining its independence on July 9th, 2011.  For 40 of the last 50 years, civil war plagued Sudan.  After all the fighting and destruction, the southern region finally seceded and became its own country.

 The Basics:

- Size: similar to Texas / France
- Population: 8 million
- Language: English (official), Arabic, & tribal languages
- Religion: overwhelmingly Christian
- Climate: Hot tropical climate.  Seasons are Rainy and Dry.  "Winter" months bottom out at 70° at night, and temperatures reach as high as 120°
- Capital: Juba (the fastest growing city in the world)

Saddening Statistics:

- Nearly 50% of the people do not have access to clean water
- 1 in 3 suffers from food insecurity (please read: goes to bed hungry)
- Half live in abject poverty
- The mortality rate for mothers in childbirth is 1 in 7, the highest in the world
- 3% of people have HIV/AIDS (compared to .003% in America).  In and around my village, HIV is even more prevalent, and there is a frightening number of children who are born with it