In humanitarian crises, information saves lives. Yet too often, communities in South Sudan face emergencies without access to reliable, timely, and trusted updates about where to find safety, health services, or assistance. The Community Engagement Network (CEN) exists to bridge that gap.
From our head office in Juba and our field teams in Malakal, Maban, Bentiu, Renk, and Ajoung Thok, we provide Humanitarian Information Services (HIS) that empower communities, strengthen accountability, and support more effective humanitarian action.
Why Information Matters as Aid
The humanitarian situation in South Sudan is complex, multidimensional, and highly dynamic. Conflict, displacement, climate shocks, and structural vulnerabilities combine to create an urgent need for life-saving assistance, protection, and community-centered solutions. Effective humanitarian response depends on accurate information, accountability to affected populations, and coordinated multi-sector interventions.
For families displaced by conflict, a trusted radio broadcast can mean the difference between confusion and clarity. For a mother in Maban, hearing where food distributions will take place ensures her children are fed. For young people in Bentiu, learning how to prevent cholera helps protect their community. For an elder in Ajoung Thok, the chance to call in to a radio program and share concerns means their voice guides the humanitarian response. In Malakal, focus group discussions have empowered community members to identify local priorities, leading to improved water and sanitation services in the PoC and surrounding neighborhoods. In Renk, the information desk at the transit center has helped families navigate assistance services, ensuring that newly arrived returnees and refugees receive timely food, shelter, and health support.
In South Sudan, humanitarian needs are immense. As of September 2025:
- 1.23 million people have arrived from Sudan since April 2023, with 74% entering through border points in Renk.
- 9.3 million people are in need, including 54% children, 24% women, 7% elderly, and 15% persons with disabilities.
- WFP has assisted 1.04 million people, providing 24,952 MT of food and USD 35.5 million in cash-based transfers.
This is the heart of what CEN does: we connect people to information they can act on, while ensuring humanitarian actors are listening and responding to community feedback.
Our Approach
Community Radio & Narrowcasting
CEN runs community radio stations and outreach services that reach thousands of people daily. In places where electricity and internet access are scarce, radio is one of the few tools people trust and rely on. Narrowcasting small-scale, face-to-face communication ensures we reach even the most remote and vulnerable groups.
Two-Way Communication & Community Voices
CEN goes beyond broadcasting. Through our Community Voices project, we have implemented a two-way communication system that tracks the flow of services from the border to transit centers and onward to final destinations. This allows affected populations, refugees, and returnees to actively seek information, share feedback, and participate in decision-making.
Key features include:
- Information & Help Desks at border points (Joda) and transit centers for complaints and response mechanisms.
- Radio & Boda Boda Talk Talk (BBTT) programs, including 242 audios, 529 public service announcements, and 957 BBTT broadcasts to date.
- Multi-channel Outreach: In-person interactions, listening groups, local FM stations, and public service announcements.
- Capacity Building: Community correspondents trained to manage information desks, ensure accurate dissemination, and connect people with services.
- Information Ecosystem Assessments (IEA): Conducted in Malakal, Renk, and Aweil to understand how communities consume information and their preferences.
- FAQs & Feedback Integration: Commonly asked questions are compiled and addressed in radio programs and bulletins (60 shared to date).
Achievements to Date
- 22,443 feedback points collected from affected communities.
- 6 Information Ecosystem Assessments conducted across key response sites.
- Community Voices was established as the central platform for information flow across humanitarian response sites.
- Beneficiary Reach: Thousands of households weekly receive timely, verified information.
- Impact: Feedback gathered has led to improved water quality, health campaigns, safer food distributions, and better-targeted services.
Partnership & Accountability
We work closely with the US State Department (Julia Taft Fund), WFP, Concern Worldwide, Save The Children, DT Global, Internews, USAID, IREX, Eye Media, BBC Media Action, Sama FM, local leaders, and humanitarian partners, turning community concerns into actionable insights that shape programming and build trust. By integrating community voices into the heart of humanitarian decision-making, CEN ensures that assistance is inclusive, transparent, and effective.
Why Partner with Us
Investing in CEN means more than supporting radio stations; it means empowering communities to take control of their lives during a crisis, reducing misinformation, and strengthening accountability. Your support allows us to expand coverage, upgrade technology, and train local communicators to be the trusted voices of their communities.
At CEN, information is aid. By partnering with us, you are not only supporting communication but also saving lives, restoring dignity, and helping communities rebuild hope.
As humanitarian needs continue to evolve, one thing remains clear:
“Putting communities at the center of decision-making is not optional; it is essential for building resilience, trust, and sustainable solutions.”
