Small Nonprofits Partner for Big Impact: New Clinic Opens in South Sudan
By Kathy Hallen
A new medical clinic has opened in West Gogrial, in South Sudan’s Warrap State, marking the first health facility ever established in the community. The project is the result of a partnership between two small nonprofits—MAMA Project, a CCIH member based in the United States, and Transformation of the World in Christ (TWIC), founded and led locally by Reverend Paul Lueth Kat and his wife, Regina Atany Ayuel.
The clinic represents the sixth primary health care unit launched by the partnership since 2023 and serves as a critical response to ongoing health challenges in a region where access to basic medical services remains extremely limited.
South Sudan’s Fragile Health System
South Sudan ranks 185 out of 189 countries on the Human Development Index, a measure of life expectancy, education, and gross national income. Decades of civil conflict have left the country’s infrastructure underdeveloped. According to UNICEF and the UN, at least one in 100 women dies in pregnancy or childbirth, and one in 10 children dies before the age of five.
The national health system has faced further setbacks since the termination of the Health Pooled Fund (HPF) on June 30, 2024. This fund had previously provided major financial and logistical support to health facilities across the country. Its closure, and the transition to the government-led Health Sector Transformation Project (HSTP), has left many facilities without medicines or staff salaries.
“South Sudan is a newborn country, and we have been in war for 35 years now. We are born in war, grew up in war,” said Rev. Paul of TWIC. “That is why we started TWIC, to bring humanitarian and medical aid into this region.”
From Pleas to Partnership
West Gogrial is a large but isolated community in Warrap State. Until recently, villagers had no access to local health care. Word of TWIC and MAMA Project’s work in refugee and internally displaced person (IDP) camps reached them: clinics had been opened, malaria treated, and wells repaired. Delegations began traveling to TWIC’s office to ask for help.
Community elders told stories of women who died in childbirth along the road while trying to reach a distant facility, and of a young man who was fatally bitten by a snake while carrying a laboring woman. Written requests and in-person appeals continued until a decision was made: TWIC and MAMA would respond.
Opening Day in West Gogrial
The new clinic is modest in appearance—a pavilion of poles and thatched roofing—but its significance is considerable. On the first day of operation, staffed by a clinical officer, a community health worker, and a medical assistant, more than 400 patients were treated. Since opening, the clinic has provided care to over 790 patients, demonstrating both the level of demand and the potential for impact.
“Since God created this land, we have never had a clinic,” a village elder told MAMA Project staff. On the day the clinic opened, community members gathered to celebrate with dancing, speeches, and thanksgiving.
Addressing Immediate Health Needs
The new facility comes at a critical time. South Sudan faces ongoing outbreaks of cholera, surges of malaria during the rainy season, and widespread cases of pneumonia, diarrhea, and typhoid.
In April to June 2025, the six TWIC/MAMA clinics—including the new West Gogrial site—treated nearly 5,000 patients. Between July and August, with additional support from Direct Relief, 3,364 patients were treated across seven facilities. The top diagnoses included malaria (709 cases), typhoid (499), pneumonia (365), diarrhea (241), and dysentery (251).
Mother Teresa Catholic Hospital in Turalei, also supported by the partnership, reported 133 women and children saved during delivery during the same period.
Dr. John Awer, working at the Makuac Pagong PHCU, described the impact of Direct Relief’s contribution: “It is my first time to see these backpack donations. Now the ball is on our side, to rescue our people in this horrible season where so many die from diseases that could be managed.”
Why the Clinic Matters
The West Gogrial facility provides:
- Maternal care: Prenatal checks, safe delivery assistance, and trained attendants. With most births occurring outside facilities, the presence of a clinic reduces preventable deaths from hemorrhage, infection, and obstructed labor.
- Child survival: Quick testing and treatment for malaria, antibiotics for pneumonia, and oral rehydration therapy for diarrheal disease.
- Outbreak response: Early treatment and community education on cholera and other waterborne illnesses.
For many, the clinic means the difference between walking hours to an uncertain facility—or being seen locally in time.
A Partnership with Measurable Results
MAMA Project, founded in 1987, began its work in Honduras and has since expanded to India, Tanzania, Kenya, Haiti, and, most recently, to South Sudan. Its mission is to bring evidence-based medical and nutritional interventions to underserved areas.
TWIC was founded in 2014 under South Sudan’s Ministry of Justice and Social Welfare. Its work spans food security, sanitation, agriculture, education, and health.
Together, the two organizations have created a network of care in Twic County and beyond. Their small scale has allowed them to adapt quickly and target areas neglected by larger NGOs.
“We’re small, TWIC is small. But the impact is big,” said Dr. Priscilla Brenner, founder of MAMA Project.
Faith-Based Motivation
While practical in their operations, both organizations emphasize their faith as central to their work.
“We were born in war, grew up in war, and carry trauma,” said Rev. Paul. “But Christ’s love compels us.”
Regina Ayuel, TWIC’s women’s coordinator, explained: “When you stand with people in huge need and have almost nothing to give, you encourage them. We share God’s Word and remind them He is our provider.” In practice, this includes quarterly refresher trainings for clinic staff, teaching villagers to maintain water pumps, and ongoing capacity building for local health workers.
Future Projects
The partnership is pursuing several initiatives to strengthen services further:
- Safe Mother & Baby Toolkit: In collaboration with Project C.U.R.E., a 40-foot container of equipment and supplies is being prepared, including clean instruments, heat-stable medicines, and low-cost devices to manage postpartum hemorrhage.
- Training Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs): Equipping TBAs to conduct safe deliveries and recognize complications.
- Livelihood resilience: Supporting grain banks and women-led microenterprises to create sustainable income for health-related expenses.
- Transport for emergencies: Introducing motorbike ambulances and seeking funding for a Toyota Land Cruiser to handle rainy-season roads.
- Clean water: The next urgent step in West Gogrial is drilling a well near the new clinic, estimated at $12,000, to ensure a safe and reliable water source.
Ongoing Challenges
Despite progress, significant gaps remain. Medicine stockouts are common, especially since UNICEF ceased regular malaria drug distribution earlier this year. Transport remains a barrier, with patients often traveling three hours by motorbike to reach care. Shelter for patients and storage facilities for drugs are also lacking.
“Imagine the whole county and the whole state,” one health director said. “There is no single drug support. Vulnerable communities are left without care.”
Dr. Brenner summarized the challenge: “For quite a few months, MAMA was the only clinic in the region still functioning. Our stockpiles ran out faster than expected because we were the only game in town.”
Looking Ahead
The West Gogrial clinic illustrates how small organizations, working together, can have an outsized impact in fragile contexts. It also highlights the continuing need for reliable supply chains, basic infrastructure, and donor support.
For the people of West Gogrial, the new clinic is more than a building—it is a sign of stability and a chance at survival. As one elder put it simply on opening day: “God has remembered us.”
About the Author:
Kathy Hallen has over 20 years of experience as a Freelance Creative Director and Designer, with a specialty in the Healthcare and Nonprofit sectors. Her favorite projects are those that can amplify voices and help others tell their stories. Learn more about her work at Miley Hallen Design.
One Comment
Priscilla Benner, MD
on October 15, 2025 at 11:17 am
Thank you, Kathy, for your great reporting! I hope your article inspires other small organizations to find ways to partner with the vulnerable communities that exist all over the world. It has been a wonderful privilege to be part of this work of love.