By the soles of their feet

 

I had the privilege recently of accompanying the IRC’s community health team on their journey from Ganyliel, a town in northern South Sudan, to Dhormanyang, a more remote village that borders the Upper Nile. The IRC office in Ganyliel supports primary and community health care for Panyijar County, once a thriving agricultural area before decades of war forced inhabitants to migrate elsewhere. There are still maize and sorghum fields in Panyijar, as well as pastoral lands. But during the rainy season, especially in the low lands that border the Nile, marshes and swamps become almost impassible, dirt paths turn into mud slides, roads get washed out.

 

In isolated Dhormanyang, however, locals who fall ill must seek care at a more primitive clinic composed of four tukuls, or mud hunts with thatch roofs, where IRC health workers consult with and care for patients. One tukul is reserved for round-the-clock guards who protect the drug cache, supplied by the South Sudan Ministry of Health but transported by the IRC Ganyliel team to the village.

The round trip to Dhormanyang, about 32 kilometers (20 miles), takes seven hours at this time of year. Many of us would consider trekking that distance over extremely difficult terrain a formidable experience. But when you live in the newest country in the world in a region with minimal infrastructure, life can’t stop because travel is hard. Still, the Ganyliel team was more than happy to have me tag along. 

The IRC’s community health program in South Sudan focuses on children five and under, treating them for malaria, diarrhea and pneumonia, the leading causes of death. The teams depend upon volunteers and local hires from the surrounding communities, most of whom have no formal education but take great pride in their work. They are not afraid of challenges, something I learned when we started on our journey. 

 

Our porter, Sarah, carried 23 kilograms (about 50 pounds) of medicine in a box she rested on her head. This is her livelihood, transporting goods for the IRC and for traders in the market. She made the trip barefoot. I asked if her feet hurt on long journeys like this one over rough terrain, “Yes, all of the time,” she said. “But I cannot buy shoes for myself and food for my three children, so the money goes toward food.” I was humbled.  

 

Two other members of the health team also made the trip. James, a community health volunteer, told me he is happy to help provide opportunities for the children in his village. Stephen, the IRC community health officer, let his radiant smile speak for him. Stephen has been with the IRC in Sudan since 2005, working ever harder now to improve the lives of the citizens of this year-old nation. As we talked about his job, he spoke with obvious pride. 

 

When the road becomes all but impassable from the rains, and the obstacles sometimes seem insurmountable, Sarah, James, Stephen and many others like them press on, placing one foot in front of the other, somehow finding their way. Their dedication is proof that the children of South Sudan continue to benefit from the work of the IRC, even if that work must be carried out by the soles of their feet.