State of Emergency - Launched July 21, 2017 - Full multimedia experience: audio, stills, text and or video: Go to zReportage.com to see more - Things are spiraling downward in South Sudan, as world's youngest nation is well into its fourth year of civil war. Two years after emerging as an independent state, oil-rich South Sudan was plunged into conflict in 2013 as rivalry between President Kiir and his then-vice president, Machar, turned into violence. Since then, the U.N. stated, that the fighting has often been along ethnic lines and has triggered Africa's worst refugee crisis, with more than 4 million people fleeing their homes. South Sudan's President Salva Kiir has declared a state of emergency in his home state of Gogrial and parts of three other states where clashes have raged for months between clan-based militias. The U.N. has several peacekeeping bases in South Sudan, where tens of thousands have been killed in the civil war. To make matters worse, in the past 10 months, more than 300 deaths have been reported and nearly 17,000 cases of cholera reported in the northeast Africa country. Cholera is endemic in South Sudan and historically, outbreaks occur annually. But with some 6 million people in South Sudan currently facing starvation, Doctors, aid workers and officials in are warning of a ''devastating'' outbreak of cholera that could kill thousands of people in a country where millions are already threatened by famine. Children are paying a disproportionate price as famine looms across the region where nearly 1.4 million children face imminent risk of death, and more than five million children face malnourishment this year, according to UNICEF. Eight of the largest U.S.based aid groups are joining together in a new campaign to address what the United Nations calls the world's largest humanitarian crisis in more than 70 years.
© Miguel Juarez Lugo/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
June 23, 2017 - Juba, Central Equatorial, South Sudan - A young Muslim man bathes in the Nile River to cope with the heat and the rigor of fasting as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan comes to an end. South Sudan, the world's newest nation, is a place where civilians have been devastated by a civil war that has left roughly two-thirds of the nation facing famine.
© Miguel Juarez Lugo/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
June 23, 2017 - Juba, Central Equatorial, South Sudan - In a rare moment of fun in Juba, capital of the war-ravaged nation of South Sudan, fans cheer as they watch the final match of the ''Ramadan League,'' between the winner Team Commando and Team Airport. South Sudan has been consumed by civil war that has left roughly two-thirds of the nation on the edge of famine brought by fighting and corruption.
© Miguel Juarez Lugo/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
June 24, 2017 - Juba, Central Equatorial, South Sudan - Despite the fighting, fleeing and near-famine afflicting the rest of the country, some South Sudanese citizens find time to enjoy the Nile Couture Fashion Show in the capital of Juba Saturday night The model shows the designs of the Stella Collection.
© Miguel Juarez Lugo/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
June 25, 2017 - Juba, Jubek, South Sudan - Thousands of South Sudanese Muslims pray in the Malkei neighborhood of Juba, South Sudan at the beginning of Eid al-Fatr, the celebration marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Roughly half the population of South Sudan is Muslim, a legacy of its long domination by the Arab-controlled northern Sudan, which ended in 2011, when South Sudan became the world's newest nation. The country has been in a state of civil war for the past three years, leaving millions of civilians displaced and near famine.
© Miguel Juarez Lugo/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
June 28, 2017 - Juba, Jubek, South Sudan - JOYCE AUMA, 20, lays on bed recovering from a severe case of cholera Wednesday in the General Hospital where more than half the population is suffering from a severe humanitarian crisis including near-famine.
© Miguel Juarez Lugo/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
June 28, 2017 - Juba, Jubek, South Sudan - ABEL TUKU, 26, takes a cigarette break on the sidewalk of the recovery ward of Juba general hospital in South Sudan Wednesday. Tuku was shot in the face during a robbery at the Tabasa neighborhood in the outskirts of Juba, the thieves took away 1 dollar when assaulted him the 20th of this month.
© Miguel Juarez Lugo/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
June 28, 2017 - Juba, Jubek, South Sudan - ESTERINA WOSUK, 18. lays on bed after giving birth via cesarean due to fistula in the Juba general hospital in South Sudan Wednesday where more than half the population is suffering from a severe humanitarian crisis including near-famine. The doctors in this hospital receive a monthly salary of 20 USD a month.
© Miguel Juarez Lugo/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
July 6, 2017 - Wau, Wau, South Sudan - JUSTINA MARCO, 27, holds her son EDMOND, 1, who is severely malnourished, as she talks about the life they are facing as displaced people living in a camp in Wau, South Sudan, where nearly 2 million people are displaced and near starvation, according to U.N. figures. Justina said her husband abandoned the family during the clashes, and that she now veers between asking God for help and blaming God for their situation. Her son is very fragile, and she has tried get a priest to Baptize him, only the authorities keep asking where is his father. People in the camp whisper about her.
© Miguel Juarez Lugo/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
June 28, 2017 - Juba, Jubek, South Sudan - A patient drags himself on the ground trying to reach a water tap to quench his thirst Wednesday in the General Hospital where more than half the population is suffering from a severe humanitarian crisis including near-famine.
© Miguel Juarez Lugo/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
July 4, 2017 - Wau, Wau, South Sudan - A South Sudanese IDP boy prays at the St. Mary Help Christian Cathedral during the daily morning service led by Father Marko Mangu, who is responsible for the diocese covering the town of Wau.Since clashes between rebels and government forces broke out last year, the church received nearly 22 thousand refugees, mostly farmers who ran from Dinka tribal militias from the northern areas of War-Awar.
© Miguel Juarez Lugo/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
July 4, 2017 - Wau, Wau, South Sudan - South Sudanese IDP people pray at the St. Mary Help Christian Cathedral during the daily morning service led by Father Marko Mangu, who is responsible for the diocese covering the town of Wau. Since clashes between rebels and government forces broke out last year, the church received nearly 22 thousand refugees, mostly farmers who ran from Dinka tribal militias from the northern areas of War-Awar.
© Miguel Juarez Lugo/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
July 4, 2017 - Wau, Wau, South Sudan - A South Sudanese elderly IDP woman prays at the St. Mary Help Christian Cathedral during the daily morning service led by Father Marko Mangu, who is responsible for the diocese covering the town of Wau. Since clashes between rebels and government forces broke out last year, the church received nearly 22 thousand refugees, mostly farmers who ran from Dinka tribal militias from the northern areas of War-Awar.
© Miguel Juarez Lugo/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
JUSTINA, 27, who was forced to flee her home as South Sudan's civil war broke out near the town of Wau last year, holds her baby son EDMOND, 1 year old, who is severely malnourished and near death, in her shelter on the grounds of St. Mary Help Christian Cathedral, where thousands have South refuge. Justina's first two babies died due to malnutrition and possibly HIV, after her husband abandoned them.
© Miguel Juarez Lugo/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
July 5, 2017 - Wau, Wau, South Sudan - JUSTINA MARCO, 27, holds her 1-year-old son EDMOND, who is severely malnourished, at a camp for displaced people on the grounds of St. Mary Help of Christian Cathedral in the town of Wau, South Sudan. Edmond's father abandoned the family, and Justina wavers hour to hour between desperation at their life and hope that Edmond will get stronger. ''I believe he will be fine some day,'' she says. They were forced to flee their home due to civil war, and Edmond is now among nearly two million people near starvation, a crisis almost entirely due to civil war, corruption, and failures of U.N. and other aid groups to reach the most needy.
© Miguel Juarez Lugo/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
July 6, 2017 - Wau, Wau, South Sudan - ADENG MACHER, 4-years old, severely malnourished, and suffering with severe skin problems, spends his 19th day at the General Hospital in Wau, South Sudan, where most of the patients are suffering consequences of being forced to flee their homes due to the country's ongoing civil war, which has left an estimated 2 million people near starvation.
© Miguel Juarez Lugo/ZUMA Wire
July 6, 2017 - Wau, Wau, South Sudan - JUSTINA MARCO, 27, bathes her fragile son EDMOND, 1 year old and severely malnourished, at a camp for displaced people on the grounds of St. Mary Help of Christian Cathedral in the town of Wau, South Sudan. The mother and child are among 2 million people forced to flee their homes since civil war broke out in the world's newest nation, and Edmond is among another 2 million who are on the verge of starvation, according to U.N. figures.
© Miguel Juarez Lugo/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
July 13, 2017 - Juba, Jubek, South Sudan - A woman listens as supermodel Ajah Kiir, the South Sudanese 2016 Miss World representative, addresses a group of girls, teaching them how to use hygiene pads in the Gumbo Basic Primary School on the outskirts of the South Sudanese capital of Juba. Common practices are as exotic as digging a hole and sitting there for four days to using dung of cows, often with severe health consequences. as fistula and severe infections. Kiir aims to reach girls in all the public schools in Juba, many of which have not been funded in several years in a country where civil war and deep corruption continues, draining budgets, displacing millions and leaving millions more on the edge of starvation.
© Miguel Juarez Lugo/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
July 13, 2017 - Juba, Jubek, South Sudan - Girls listen to supermodel Ajah Kiir, the South Sudanese 2016 Miss World representative, teaching them how to use hygiene pads in the Gumbo Basic Primary School on the outskirts of the South Sudanese capital of Juba. Common practices are as exotic as digging a hole and sitting there for four days to using dung of cows, often with severe health consequences. as fistula and severe infections. Kiir aims to reach girls in all the public schools in Juba, many of which have not been funded in several years in a country where civil war and deep corruption continues, draining budgets, displacing millions and leaving millions more on the edge of starvation.
© Miguel Juarez Lugo/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
