USAID launches vulnerable children’s health initiative

U.S. Ambassador to South Sudan Michael Adler and USAID South Sudan Chief of Mission Kate Crawford launched a new health initiative to support orphans and vulnerable children living with HIV in South Sudan.

The project, called Hayatna, which means “our lives” in Arabic, represents a major investment in the well-being of the country’s most at-risk populations.

The five-year project will also provide disadvantaged young women with income-generating activities and life skills training, aiming to enhance health and economic stability in the region.

At Thursday’s launch ceremony, Adler stressed the United States’ enduring commitment to assisting the people of South Sudan.

“Providing assistance is at the heart of America’s decades-long efforts to help the people of South Sudan,” Adler said. “I express my deepest gratitude to my USAID colleagues and implementing partners for their tireless efforts in this life-saving work.”

The Hayatna project will work with local organizations to reach children and adolescents living with HIV, infants exposed to HIV, and children from HIV-positive families. The project will also provide support to survivors of child violence. The goal of the project is to improve HIV and health status in these vulnerable families while ensuring that children remain healthy, safe, and able to attend school.

The program will be implemented in several areas of Juba County, including Juba, Katol, Lokiliri, Munuki and Rejaf. By providing economic opportunities for adolescent girls and young women, with a focus on localization and capacity building, Hayatna aims to bring sustainable improvements to the lives of South Sudan’s most vulnerable people.

The new program builds on the efforts of the U.S. government’s President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in South Sudan. Since 2007, PEPFAR has played a critical role in the fight against HIV, providing life-saving antiretroviral treatment to approximately 50,000 South Sudanese and supporting vulnerable families and young women across the country.