By James Innocent
More than 2,300 children have received nutrition support in Yei River County, Central Equatoria State, between July and October 2025, according to the KONETA Hub Initiative.
Program coordinator Woja Peter said the initiative targets at least 2,700 children through its ongoing nutrition program. The effort currently covers Mugwo Payam and Yei Town Payam, with plans to extend to other areas of the county.
The project, implemented in partnership with UNICEF, is part of a joint stakeholder monitoring exercise aimed at strengthening ongoing nutrition services for children and mothers. It focuses on improving the quality of diets for children aged 6–23 months, as well as for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, using sustainable local technologies to combat malnutrition.
Community member Joseph Taban Ali applauded the initiative for supporting more than 1,000 children under six and eighteen months. He urged the implementing partners to expand services to reach rural areas where children remain at risk of malnutrition.
Nutrition specialist Jesca Wude commended the program’s innovation in producing South Sudan’s first locally made peanut butter, developed to improve children’s diet quality and promote healthy growth. She reaffirmed UNICEF’s continued commitment to supporting community-based nutrition programs across the country.
“UNICEF’s 2025 nutrition strategy emphasizes empowering local actors to produce and distribute nutritious food using homegrown resources,” said Wude. “Community-led solutions like these are vital for ending child malnutrition in South Sudan.”
Representing the Yei River County Commissioner, James Wani Banja encouraged the implementing partners to integrate agricultural development into their activities to boost local food production and strengthen household resilience.
He also appealed to local chiefs to allocate more land for farming, in line with the county’s strategic plan to enhance food security and reduce dependence on external aid.
Meanwhile, county official Emmanuel Taban explained that the joint monitoring exercise aims to promote coordination, accountability, and shared learning among all stakeholders involved in nutrition interventions.
He noted that the approach provides a platform to evaluate progress, share best practices, and identify gaps to improve the overall impact of nutrition programs, particularly in Mugwo and Yei Town Payams.
The initiative highlights the growing collaboration between humanitarian partners, government authorities, and local communities to combat malnutrition and improve child health in Yei River County and beyond.