Joint Assessment in Chukudum Komini payam Budi county 1 Title Joint assessment in Chukudum Komini payam Budi County 2 Date 12 to 13 March 2010 3 Executive Summary

							             Joint Assessment in Chukudum, Komini payam, Budi county


1. Title: Joint assessment in Chukudum, Komini payam, Budi County

2. Date: 12 to 13 March, 2010.

3. Executive Summary:
On State Caretaker Governor, Eastern Equatoria SSRRC director called for a joint
assessment in Budi County on March 12 and 13. The join assessment was conducted by
SSRRC with Integrated Team and UNHCR support. Members of the joint assessment team
were: WHO, CRS, NCA, DoT, UNMIS Human Rights, UNMIS Integrated Team, UNHCR.
Security was provided by NSI and SSPS.

The joint assessment team met with the SSRRC county secretary, the County
Commissioner, WFP, NPA, SPLM candidate for constituency 20 and visited Chukudum
hospital.

The main concern reported and observed in the area are security, health, food security,
child protection and education.


4. Team Composition (denote team leader)

The team was lead by SSRRC director and included members of CRS, NCA, DoT, WHO,
UNHCR and Integrated Team (RCSO/RRR).

5. Mission Objectives:
To assess the humanitarian situation in Budi county.


6. Assessment Itinerary:

- Departure time at Torit team site: on March 12: 11.30 AM,
- Arrival in Chukudum 17.00 PM on March 12.
- Departure Chukudum: 12.00 AM on March 13.
- Arrival in Torit team Site: 17.30 PM om March 13.


7. Methodology:

Joint assessment team conducted interviews with the SSRRC County secretary on March
12 and 13. An interview of Budi County Commissioner was conducted on March 13 in the
Morning. Then Joint assessment team made a direct observation visit of Chukudum
Hospital and conducted interview of Chukudum Hospital Doctor,




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8. Background / General Context:

During the period of January to March 2010, at least 15 incidents have occurred in BUDI
County. Those incidents are mainly concerning cattle rustling and banditry acts committed
in Lotukey Payam and Kidiepo Valley. During the State Caretaker Governor visit in Budi
County, it was reported that 3 people were killed in cattle rustling and banditry incidents.

During the Chukudum hospital visit, the Joint assessment team was able to met 12 persons
injured from an incident that took place in Lorema, Lotukey payam, on March 7.

Food insecurity was identified as cause roots of those incidents and increase of insecurity
in Budi County by the County Commissioner. He reported that families were not able to
cultivate sufficiently to insure households food security due to lack of rains since 2007. He
reported that some families from Lotukey payam moved to Uganda.

It was also reported that in Lotukey payam, the households coping mechanisms includes
gold mining and that children are at risk, especially young girls.


9. Access and Logistics

Chukudum, Komini payam, Budi County, is accessible by road from Torit.

10. Assessment Findings

   -   Food security: due to rains shortage, the food production is low. This affects all
       families and cause insecurity.
   -   Rule of Law: the limited effectives of SSPS and SPLA in the county do not allow the
       local authorities to enforce civil peace and stop insecurity.
   -   Protection: due to food insecurity at households level, part of families coping
       mechanisms includes child forced labor, child prostitution and forced marriage.
   -   Health: due to drugs insufficient supply, access to basic health care is limited.
   -   Education: The absence of school feeding has affected children enrollment. Only
       50% of the teachers are effectively on the MoE payroll and certificates issue limits
       access to education.
   -   Population movements: Due to food insecurity, 63 families have moved to Kenya
       and 73 to Uganda.


11. Total numbers affected

All Budi County population.


12. The Hazard/Disaster:

Budi County is affected by rains shortages since 2009 which affects families’ food security.

In addition, the low presence of SSPS and other representatives of the authority which
affects the county authorities to empower civil peace and rule of law.


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Due to those two factors, the insecurity in increasing in the county resulting in a series of
cattle raid and counter raid between various ethnic groups within Budi County but also with
the surrounding counties (Ikotos, Kapoeta South and Kapoeta North).

Recently, it appeared that violence during cattle raids and counter raids reached a higher
level as several unarmed civilians (children and women) seems to have been targeted.

In addition, due to food insecurity, some households have turned to gold mining as a coping
mechanism and are putting children at risk in order to access food.
Still due to food insecurity, population movements to Kenya and Uganda have been
reported.


13. Sectors Sections: food, health, nutrition, water and sanitation, education,
  protection, shelter, etc.

Food security:
The food security situation is deteriorating due to rains shortage. Food security has been
identified as the main cause of all insecurity and population movement in the area by the
SSRRC County Secretary and the County Commissioner.

SPLM candidate for Lotukey payam explained that populations were turning to gold mining
activities to cope with the food insecurity.

As the hospital staff were on strike, it has been impossible to assess the recording of
malnutrition cases.

According to UNHCR assessment (cf Education), food insecurity is having an impact on
school attendance.

WFP is actually conducting General distribution in all the county to respond to this situation
and mitigate the immediate effects of food insecurity.

Population movements:
The SSRRC County Secretary informed the team that, in January 2010 a total number of
15 H/H have left for Kenya and 21 H/H family have left for Uganda.
In February 2010 48 H/H left for Kenya and 50 H/H left for Uganda this is due to hunger
situation in the area as the drought of 2009, last year has affected the production.

The major reasons for the inward migration is the insecurity in the area which dose not
favor the farmers to cultivate since the attackers also targets those who are farming in their
fields, as a result the community partly have move to the mountain area of Nakishot. For
their safety

Health:
Chukudum hospital staff was on strike during the joint assessment team visit. But despite
this, it has been possible to interview Chukudum hospital doctor, Dr Loputo.

The hospital receive limited supported by NPA which is only paying 5 of the 105 staff from
the hospital


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Also the hospital is understaffed: Chukudum PHCU should have 145 staff but is actually
running with only 105 staffs.

Drugs supply is irregular and according to Dr Loputo inadequate with the diseases treated.

Education:
The education sector in the County is negatively affected by limited number of teachers on
the payroll. Out of 250 teachers working in two secondary schools, a teachers training
school, a technical school and a number of primary schools, only 125 are to be on the
payroll while the rest volunteer without receiving any incentives. Given such a
phenomenon, there is a likelihood of them following the health personnel at the Chukudum
hospital in going on strike.

Additionally, the acquisition of documents entitling candidates of primary and secondary
school for the final examinations is problematic. Birth certificates for the primary candidates
are only issued in Torit Civil Hospital and the nationality certificates for the secondary
school candidates only in Juba. Transport, acquisition fees, accommodation and
subsistence make it very hard for candidates to handle. The situation is aggravated further
by the fact that there is no examination centre in the whole County.

Lack of feeding programmes in the schools has affected enrolment of pupils in some areas
within the County. Moreover, in some locations, pupils attend classes under trees in the
absence of facilities, which makes it difficult for them to study during the long rainy season.

UNHCR also highlighted that the primary motivation of South Sudanese refugees in
Kakuma Camp not to return to South Sudan at this time is the limited access to education in
areas of origin.

Water and sanitation:
Budi County has fairly sufficient water for human consumption, the main source being
borehole water; AAR Japan, NPA & the county water department are taking the charge to
repair the broken ones. Budi County suffers from lack of water for their animals (Cows,
Goats etc)

Protection:
As coping mechanism the populations from Lotukey payam are practicing gold mining. It
was reported that children, especially young girls in that area were at risk. According to the
reports made to the joint assessment team, there are cases of Child Labor, forced marriage
and probably of child sexual exploitation. It was reported that children were employed and
forced to work by their families in gold mining areas for 3 SGD per day.

In addition, it was reported that unlawful sexual activities were conducted by SPLA soldiers
in the location of New Cush, Nauro and Camp 15, in Budi County.
Reported cases are:
    - 18 soldiers in prison for 3 girls rape in New Cush (2009)
    - 5 soldiers raped a 13 years old girl in New Cush (2010)
    - Attempt of rape at Camp 15 by soldiers over children (2009).




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14. Ongoing Humanitarian Response in the affected areas

The on going responses to Budi County humanitarian situation are as follow:
   - general food distribution conducted by WFP
   - water and sanitation projects in Lotukey conducted by AAR Japan.

15. CONCLUSIONS

There is a need for active support to Health and education sector in Budi County with active
presence of I NGO.

There is a need to address protection issues and child protection issues through specific
projects.

There are needs for inter ethnic group dialog, reconciliation and peace building projects.

There is a need to have Rule of Law promotion and education projects at very grass root
level. This should be done with a support to the formal legal and traditional judiciary system
to build accountability and knowledge among the communities and access to judicial
system.

There is a need to reinforce Ministry of Education capacities in the county to increase
access to education.

There is a need to make advocacy to humanitarian donors for them to support NGO willing
to be active in Budi County.




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