Delivering Hope: Pesabase’s Journey to Bring Life-Saving Nutrition to Maiwut
In Memoriam: Reath Pajock Lual
A few months after the completion of the RUTF distribution activities at the relief center, the project community suffered a heartbreaking loss. Reath Pajock Lual, a dedicated colleague who contributed greatly to the success of our nutrition efforts, was killed while traveling between Lare and Gambella. The vehicle he was in came under attack, reportedly targeted due to ongoing ethnic tensions in the region. Of the passengers in his vehicle, only one survived. Reath and his wife were among those who tragically did not make it, leaving behind their young daughter.
Reath’s commitment to serving vulnerable families was evident in everything he did. He worked tirelessly to ensure that supplies reached those in greatest need, and he brought compassion, patience, and quiet strength to his role each day. His loss is felt deeply by colleagues, community members, and all who had the privilege of working alongside him.
We honor his memory and acknowledge the lasting impact he made—both on this project and on the lives of the people he served. Our thoughts remain with his daughter and extended family during this difficult time.
A Small Mission With a Big Impact
At Pesabase, impact takes many forms. Sometimes it’s financial tools and technology. Sometimes it’s community empowerment. And sometimes, it looks like 15 boxes of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) transported across borders, through rain-soaked roads, to a remote relief center waiting for help.
This is the story of our recent humanitarian mission—from Gambella, Ethiopia, to Maiwut, Upper Nile, South Sudan—and the people whose lives it touched.
Understanding the Challenges in South Sudan
A Nation Under Pressure
South Sudan continues to experience one of the world’s most complex humanitarian crises. Years of conflict, displacement, and economic turmoil have left millions struggling for the basics: food, safety, and healthcare. Many communities live in extremely remote areas accessible only via rough dirt roads, which disappear completely during the rainy season.
Why Malnutrition Is So Widespread
Malnutrition in South Sudan is driven by several interconnected challenges:
- Conflict and insecurity disrupting farming and markets
- Flooding and climate shocks wiping out crops and livestock
- Lack of infrastructure, limiting access to food and health services
- Economic instability, making food too expensive for families
Children are the most vulnerable. Without proper nutrition, their bodies weaken rapidly, making even minor illnesses life-threatening.
How RUTF Saves Lives
What Is RUTF?
Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) is a peanut-based, nutrient-dense paste packaged in small foil sachets. It requires:
- No cooking
- No refrigeration
- No clean water
- No medical facility
This makes it a perfect solution for treating severe acute malnutrition in remote or crisis-affected areas.
Why It’s So Effective
RUTF contains exactly the right balance of calories, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals needed to bring a severely malnourished child back to health. With just a few packets per day for several weeks, many children make a full recovery.
RUTF doesn’t just nourish—it saves lives.
The Journey Begins: From Gambella to the Border
Collecting the Supplies
The mission was led by Buay, a dedicated member of our team who volunteered to make the trip. His journey began in Gambella, Ethiopia, where he visited a nutritional store to purchase the RUTF. Before he could buy the supplies, he had to:
- Fill out official forms
- Sign documents verifying the food was for humanitarian purposes only
- Personally take responsibility that the RUTF would not be resold
Once completed, the store approved the purchase of the 15 boxes of RUTF needed for the mission.
The Road Ahead
Normally, the drive to Maiwut might take several hours. But during South Sudan’s rainy season, roads become unpredictable and often impassable. What should have been a straightforward trip turned into a challenging 8–12 hour journey, slowed by:
- Thick mud
- Washed-out roads
- Border security clearances
- Remote, unmarked routes
As Buay described it: “Even the road was so tougher than it should be.”
Arriving in Maiwut: A Community Waiting for Hope
A Relief Center Without Supplies
When Buay reached the relief center, he found an unexpected situation: no children were admitted for treatment. Not because the need wasn’t there—but because the center simply had no nutritional supplies left.
Children cannot be kept in a medical center without food or treatment. Families had been waiting, hoping for help.
The 15 boxes of RUTF changed everything.
A Warm and Emotional Welcome
When the supplies arrived, the community expressed gratitude and relief. Families told Buay: “You bring our kids to see life again.”
With treatment now available, the center could begin admitting severely malnourished children once more. For many families, this delivery marked the return of hope.
The Hidden Risks of the Journey
More Than Just a Delivery
Humanitarian trips like this one involve risks most people never see or think about:
- Traveling long distances on dangerous roads
- Crossing borders that require security checks
- Moving through isolated areas with no support services nearby
- Facing weather conditions that can halt progress for hours
Despite these challenges, Buay continued because he knew the delivery mattered.
Unpredictable Circumstances
From vehicle issues to unpredictable weather, anything can happen on remote roads. But the mission succeeded because of careful planning, determination, and the clear purpose of helping children in need.
What This Mission Means to Pesabase
While Pesabase’s core focus is technology and financial empowerment, this mission reflects a deeper belief: that every community deserves support, dignity, and hope.
This wasn’t a large-scale international operation. It was a small, heartfelt effort that made a direct impact on a community in crisis.
And as Buay shared afterward: “I can do this, if we could help again. These people need our help.”
His dedication, and the gratitude of the people in Maiwut, remind us that positive impact often begins with small steps—taken with compassion and courage.
Looking Ahead
We’re currently waiting for photos and documentation from the relief center, and we look forward to sharing more updates soon. But even without images, the story is clear: lives were touched, children now have a chance to recover, and a community saw that they are not forgotten.
At Pesabase, we remain committed to supporting vulnerable communities whenever and however we can—whether through technology, partnerships, or missions like this one.