By Deng Ghai Deng
U.S. Ambassador to South Sudan, Michael Adler, and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director, Kate Crawford, unveiled a new health initiative aimed at supporting orphans and vulnerable children living with HIV.
The project, named ‘Hayatna’, in Arabic meaning “our lives” represents a substantial investment in the well-being of the country’s most at-risk populations.
The Hayatna project is a five-year initiative funded by USAID designed to provide comprehensive medical services to orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV.
Beyond medical care, the project will offer income-generating activities and life skills training to economically vulnerable young women, aiming to bolster both health and economic stability in the region.
At the launch event, Ambassador Adler emphasized the enduring commitment of the U.S. to assist the South Sudanese people, stating, “The provision of assistance has been central to the decades-long history of U.S. efforts to help the South Sudanese people. I extend my deepest gratitude to my USAID colleagues and our implementing partners for their relentless dedication to this life-saving work.”
The Hayatna project will collaborate with local organizations to reach out to children and adolescents living with HIV, HIV-exposed infants, and children from HIV-positive households.
It will also extend support to survivors of violence against children. The goal is to enhance HIV and health outcomes for these vulnerable families while ensuring children remain healthy, safe, and able to attend school.
The initiative will be implemented across several areas in Juba County, including Juba, Kator, Lokiliri, Munuki, and Rejaf.
By integrating economic opportunities for adolescent girls and young women and focusing on localization and capacity-building, Hayatna aims to create sustainable improvements in the lives of South Sudan’s most vulnerable populations.
This new project builds on the successful efforts of the U.S. Government’s President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in South Sudan.
Since 2007, PEPFAR has been instrumental in combating HIV, providing life-saving antiretroviral treatment to approximately 50,000 South Sudanese, and supporting vulnerable families and young women across the nation.