The South Sudan Water Crisis
In 1985, Sudan became involved in what is known as the Second Sudanese Civil War. Soldiers marched through communities and recruited young men, tearing families apart. Women and children were forced to flee and they traveled long distances. Many had to go to nearby countries such as Kenya and Ethiopia.
The Second Sudanese Civil War
This civil war was fought mainly between the Muslim based government in northern Sudan, and the group in the south formed by non-Muslims. The government wanted the whole country to have the beliefs of Islam, but many of the southern citizens did not want to be Muslim.
In the end, over two million people were killed, and even more were displaced. Many of the refugees did not survive the long journey across the African deserts due to a lack of food, but mainly water. However, the Republic of South Sudan became its own nation in 2011.
The next page is about the Lost Boys of Sudan.
The map shows current day South Sudan, and the countries that Lost Boys often traveled to: Ethiopia and Kenya.
Causes and Effects
Introduction
Connection to the Water Crisis
The Second Sudanese Civil War caused a lot of chaos, destruction, and tragedy. Also, this war is a main cause of the water crisis in South Sudan. The need for water increased as millions of people were displaced during the war. However, people no longer knew where the closest water source was.
Before the war, if a woman or child had to retrieve water from a lake a few miles away, they knew how long it would take, where to go, and most importantly, they could make the walk for water. During the war, refugees no longer knew where to find water, causing the lack of water to increase significantly.
A Lost Boy of Sudan and his mother are reunited after several years of seperation.