By Lodu William Odiya
More than sixty thousand people are set to benefit from cash assistance to buy food items for families in South Sudan.
In a statement released by Save the Children, thousands of families affected by conflict and severe flooding in South Sudan will receive lifesaving cash, health and nutrition support in the next four months as European Union injects more funds.
“The more than €3.3 million new contribution from the European Union’s Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) is set to benefit more than 68,000 people with cash assistance to buy food for their children and families” the statement read.
The assistance will include over 8,925 households who will receive three rounds of cash assistance in Abyei, Fangak and the newly added location of Panyijiar.
According to Save the Children, the programme will prioritise women and girls to make up at least 58% of beneficiaries, while 15% will be allocated to people with disabilities.
The humanitarian support comes as humanitarian needs soar, with more than 10 million people nearly two thirds of the population projected to need assistance in 2026 as conflict, climate shocks, economic decline, disease outbreaks and the spillover from the crisis in Sudan combine to push more people into misery.
Since April 2023, more than 900,000 people had returned from Sudan, placing intense pressure on already fragile communities.
Meanwhile, severe floods in Fangak and Panyijiar in 2025 displaced tens of thousands and destroyed homes and farmland, with families still reeling from the impact and in need of aid.
The new funding includes €2.5 million for Multipurpose Cash Assistance (MPCA), alongside €131,578.95 from consortium partners, extending cash support programmes through April 2026 across Abyei Administrative Area, Jonglei, Unity and Northern Bahr el Ghazal.
Save the Children said the programme will now support 11 static health facilities and 10 mobile outreach sites operated by four mobile teams.
“When conflict and floods strip families of everything, cash gives parents the power to protect their children. It means food on the table, medicine when a child falls sick, and dignity in moments of crisis. In places where markets still function but families have lost their income, cash is often the fastest and safest way to help children survive and recover.” The statement partly read.
“This timely support from the European Union comes at a critical moment for families in South Sudan affected by conflict, floods, and disease, as well as the growing influx of Sudanese returnees and refugees who are placing additional pressure on already fragile host communities” statement read.
It underscored that the assistance is a lifeline that will help the vulnerable people, restore dignity through cash assistance, and sustain essential health and nutrition services for the most vulnerable.
The consortium approach provides a strong umbrella for coordination and synergy, offering real promise to deliver impact at scale.
“This support from the European Union comes at a decisive moment for communities in South Sudan who have endured overlapping shocks from conflict to relentless flooding.
Through this joint effort, families facing the greatest risks receive not only immediate assistance, but the dignity of choice through cash support and access to lifesaving services.