South Sudan Families Forced to Survive on Leaves as Hunger Crisis Worsens

Save the Children reports that thousands are no longer attending school, while others are being pushed into child labor or early marriage as families search for ways to survive.

Families in South Sudan's Jonglei State are resorting to eating leaves, water lilies, and seeds meant for planting as worsening violence, displacement, and flooding drive parts of the country closer to famine conditions, according to Save the Children.

The humanitarian organization warned that escalating conflict since March has disrupted aid operations, forced the evacuation of humanitarian workers, and left thousands of vulnerable families without access to essential services. Communities in some of the hardest-hit areas are struggling to find food as livelihoods collapse and access to humanitarian assistance becomes increasingly limited.

Aid agencies have been forced to suspend operations in several locations due to insecurity. Save the Children temporarily halted activities in Akobo East, a key refuge for people fleeing violence, and earlier suspended operations in Walgak after armed groups looted and vandalized its facilities, destroyed a healthcare center, and seized vehicles.

Children face growing risk of malnutrition and exploitation

The worsening crisis is having a devastating impact on children. Save the Children reports that thousands are no longer attending school, while others are being pushed into child labor or early marriage as families search for ways to survive.

In areas where schools remain open, some children are too weak from hunger to attend classes regularly. Health workers have also reported increasing numbers of severely malnourished children arriving at treatment centers after surviving for weeks on minimal food, including diluted porridge or mixtures of flour and salt.

According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) assessment, more than 7.8 million people—around 60 per cent of South Sudan's population—are experiencing acute food insecurity. The analysis identified four counties, including Akobo and Nyirol in Jonglei State, as being at risk of famine.

The situation among young children is particularly alarming. An estimated 2.2 million children under five require treatment for acute malnutrition, including nearly 700,000 suffering from severe acute malnutrition, the most life-threatening form of hunger.

Aid groups call for urgent action and increased support

At Bor Hospital in Jonglei State, where Save the Children operates nutrition programs, healthcare workers are already witnessing unusually high numbers of severe malnutrition cases at the start of the rainy season.

Health worker Tabisa Ajer said more than 60 severely malnourished children are currently receiving treatment, a figure typically seen much later in the year when food shortages intensify. She warned that insecurity, flooding, disease outbreaks, and reduced food production are combining to create an increasingly dangerous situation.

Save the Children Country Director Chris Nyamandi said the crisis requires political solutions alongside humanitarian assistance. He stressed that greater investment in peacebuilding, social protection programs, and humanitarian response efforts is needed to prevent further suffering.

The organisation also expressed concern about declining international aid funding, arguing that reductions in humanitarian support are hitting vulnerable communities particularly hard in one of the world's most fragile countries.

Save the Children is urging all parties involved in the conflict to protect civilians, respect international humanitarian law, and ensure safe and unrestricted access for humanitarian organizations. The agency is also calling for increased and flexible funding to support displaced populations and strengthen local organizations delivering lifesaving assistance.

As South Sudan approaches 15 years of independence next month, aid agencies warn that without urgent action, hunger and displacement could push more communities toward catastrophe.